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The  PREPARATION  o 


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MISSIONARIES  APPOINTED 
TO  JAPAN 


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BOARD  OF  MISSIONARY  PREPARATION 
25  Madison  Avenue,  New  York 


PRICE  10  CENTS 


BOARD  OF  MISSIONARY  PREPARATION 


The  Rev.  James  L.  Barton,  D.D. 
Prof.  Harlan  P.  Beach,  D.D. 

David  Bovaird,  Jr.,  M.D. 

Prof.  O.  E.  Brown,  D.D. 

Prof.  Ernest  DeWitt  Burton,  D.D. 

Miss  Helen  B.  Calder 

Prof.  Edward  W.  Capen,  Ph.D. 

Prof.  W.  O.  Carver,  D.D. 

The  Rev.  Wm.  I.  Chamberlain,  Ph.D. 

The  Rev.  George  Drach 

The  Rev.  James  Endicott,  D.D. 

The  Rev.  F.  P.  Haggard,  D.D. 

Pres.  Henry  C.  King,  D.D. 

Prof.  Walter  L.  Lingle,  D.D. 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Arthur  S.  Lloyd,  D.D. 
The  Rev.  R.  P.  Mackay,  D.D. 

Pres.  W.  Douglas  Mackenzie,  D.D. 


John  R.  Mott,  LL.D. 

Bishop  W.  F.  Oldham,  D.D. 
Principal  T.  R.  O’Meara,  D.D. 

Pres.  C.  T.  Paul,  Ph.D. 

Prof.  Henry  B.  Robins,  Ph.D. 

Prof.  G.  A.  Johnston  Ross,  M.A. 
Dean  James  E.  Russell,  LL.D. 

T.  H.  P.  Sailer,  Ph.D. 

Miss  Una  Saunders 
Prof.  E.  D.  Soper,  D.D. 

Robert  E.  Speer,  D.D. 

Pres.  J.  Ross  Stevenson,  D.D. 
Fennell  P.  Turner 
Pres.  Addie  Grace  Wardle,  Ph.D. 
The  Rev.  Charles  R.  Watson,  D.D. 
Pres.  Wilbert  W.  White,  Ph.D. 
Pres.  Mary  E.  Woolley,  Litt.D. 


W.  DOUGLAS  MACKENZIE,  Chairman 
FENNELL  P.  TURNER,  Secretary 
WILLIAM  I.  CHAMBERLAIN,  Treasurer 

REV.  FRANK  K.  SANDERS,  Ph.D.,  Director 
25  Madison  Avenue,  New  York 


THE  PREPARATION  OF  MISSIONARIES 
APPOINTED  TO  JAPAN 


THE  REPORT  OF  A COMMITTEE  APPOINTED  BY 
THE  BOARD  OF  MISSIONARY  PREPARATION 


Professor  Edward  Warren  Capen,  Ph.D.,  Chairman 
President  Henry  Churchill  King,  D.D. 

Reverend  R.  P.  Mackay,  D.D. 

President  E.  Y.  Mullins,  D.D. 

Mr.  Galen  M.  Fisher 

Reverend  Sidney  L.  Gulick,  Ph.D. 

Miss  A.  C.  Macdonald 
Reverend  A.  Pieters 
Reverend  W.  W.  Pinson,  D.D. 

Professor  Edmund  D.  Soper,  D.D. 

Reverend  S.  H.  Wainwright,  D.D. 


PRESENTED  AT  THE  FOURTH  ANNUAL  MEETING 
IN  NEW  YORK,  DECEMBER,  1914 


Board  of  Missionary  Preparation 
25  Madison  Ave.,  New  York  City 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/preparationofmis00boar_2 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  THE  SPECIAL 
PREPARATION  NEEDED  FOR  MISSION- 
ARIES APPOINTED  TO  JAPAN 

The  first  draft  of  this  report  was  written  by  the  chairman, 
upon  the  basis  of  the  findings  of  the  conferences  held  in 
Japan  by  Dr.  John  R.  Mott  in  April,  1913;  upon  the  returns 
from  Japan  which  were  before  Commission  V of  the  Edin- 
burgh Missionary  Conference  when  it  studied  the  question 
of  the  preparation  of  missionaries;  and  upon  other  data  in 
the  possession  of  the  members  of  the  committee.  This  draft 
was  sent  to  the  active  and  to  one  of  the  corresponding  mem- 
bers of  the  committee  and  their  suggestions  were  embodied 
in  a revised  draft  which  was  put  into  print  and  submitted  to 
the  Board  of  Missionary  Preparation  at  its  annual  meeting, 
Dec.  2,  1914,  and  also  to  the  Foreign  Missions  Conference 
in  session  at  Garden  City,  Jan.  13,  14,  1915.  Note  was 
made  of  the  points  brought  out  in  the  open  discussion  at 
these  places.  Copies  of  the  report  were  also  sent  to  all  the 
corresponding  members  of  the  committee,  to  secretaries  of 
mission  Boards  having  work  in  Japan,  and  to  a considerable 
number  of  persons,  Japanese,  missionaries,  and  others 
familiar  with  conditions  in  Japan,  whose  frank  criticisms 
were  requested.  Many  of  them  responded.  The  report  was 
then  revised  by  the  chairman,  submitted  to  the  active  mem- 
bers of  the  committee  for  further  criticisms,  and  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  Director  of  the  Board  of  Missionary  Prep- 
paration  for  final  editing  under  the  direction  of  the  Execu- 
tive Committee. 

This  statement  will  make  clear  the  process  by  which  the 
report  has  come  into  its  present  form  and  indicate  the  degree 


3 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 

of  authority  attaching  thereto.  The  committee  and  the 
Board  alike  have  been  earnestly  desirous  of  preparing  a re- 
port which  would  embody  the  best  judgment  of  those  who 
may  be  regarded  as  specialists  in  matters  pertaining  to  the 
Japan  of  to-day- 

The  report  will  discuss  the  general  characteristics  needed 
by  missionaries  to  Japan  and  try  to  specify  the  lines  of  mis- 
sionary work  which  call  most  loudly  to-day  for  strengthening. 
It  will  aim  to  suggest  to  candidates  the  lines  of  preparation 
which  will  contribute  most  to  their  efficiency,  and  to  indicate 
the  lines  of  investigation  or  of  study  which  missionaries, 
either  while  pursuing  their  missionary  labors  or  when  on  fur- 
lough, may  pursue  with  profit. 

The  report  presupposes  familiarity  with  the  reports  of  the 
Board  of  Missionary  Preparation  for  1913  and  1914.  The 
former  discussed  the  general  qualifications  of  missionaries 
and  the  scope  of  the  preparation  needed.  The  latter  con- 
tained a series  of  reports  upon  the  preparation  needed  by  the 
different  classes  of  missionaries,  evangelistic,  educational, 
medical,  etc.  Especially  should  women  candidates  be  familiar 
with  the  recommendations  of  the  report  on  the  Preparation 
of  Women  Missionaries  contained  in  the  volume  for  1914. 
Except  as  otherwise  noted  in  that  report  and  below,  the 
preparation  of  women  missionaries  along  intellectual  and 
spiritual  lines  would  be  the  same  as  for  men.  This  report 
takes  for  granted  these  statements  of  general  principles  and 
seeks  to  reach  their  specific  application  to  Japan. 

This  report  confines  itself  to  Japan  proper,  exclusive  of 
Chosen  (Korea)  and  Taiwan  (Formosa). 

I.  Characteristics  Needed  by  Missionaries  to  Japan 

Climatic  and  Health  Conditions.  Japan  proper  is  not 
a tropical  country.  Its  latitude  extends  from  that  of  south- 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


ern  Georgia  to  that  of  Montreal.  The  winters  on  the  north 
and  west  coasts  and  in  the  Hokkaido  are  similar  to  those  in 
the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States;  in  the  northern 
Hokkaido  they  are  severe;  elsewhere  they  are  milder,  but 
though  the  thermometer  does  not  go  so  low  as  in  correspond- 
ing parts  of  the  United  States,  the  damp  chill  is  so  penetrat- 
ing that  heavy  winter  clothing  needs  to  be  worn.  Summer 
resorts  in  the  mountains  are  accessible  and  generally  used. 
The  extreme  humidity  of  the  climate,  and  the  absence  of 
vitality  in  the  air  make  the  climate  a rather  trying  one  to 
certain  missionaries,  especially  to  women.  Those  with  a 
tendency  to  nervous  troubles  should  not  undertake  mission- 
ary work  in  Japan,  or  those  inclined  to  throat  or  lung  trou- 
bles. Those  seriously  affected  by  the  somewhat  enervating 
influence  of  a rainy,  damp  climate  should  also  hesitate  to 
engage  in  work  there.  In  some  sections  the  comparatively 
frequent  earth  tremors  are  deleterious  to  people  of  nerv- 
ous temperament.  Because  Japan  is  just  out  of  the  region 
in  which  care  has  to  be  taken  to  avoid  exposure  to  the  sun, 
too  great  carelessness  is  shown  by  some  missionaries  in  this 
regard,  with  unfortunate  consequences. 

Social  Conditions.  The  missionary  in  Japan  is  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  a government  organized  along  western 
lines.  He  lives  among  a people  reverent  toward  their  past 
and  keenly  sensitive  to  anything  which  gives  the  impression 
that  they  are  regarded  by  foreigners  as  inferior  to  the  na- 
tions of  the  West.  They  have  shown  a capacity  for  pro- 
gress and  leadership  and  expect  to  be  allowed  to  exercise  it. 
As  is  entirely  natural  in  a people  who  have  only  within 
twenty  years  succeeded  in  throwing  off  extra-territoriality, 
which  is  a badge  of  inferiority,  they  keenly  resent  any  as- 
sumption by  a foreigner  that  he  is  their  superior  and  should 
as  such  be  given  the  chief  place. 

There  is  much  justification  for  this  attitude.  Japan  has 
developed  an  educational  system  of  high  grade.  Children 

5 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


are  under  obligation  to  attend  the  elementary  school  for  six 
years,  and  the  percentage  of  those  who  fail  to  do  so  is  very 
small.  The  pupils  all  learn  western  science.  The  languages 
of  the  west  are  taught  in  all  the  higher  grades.  English  is 
begun  in  the  fifth  grade,  and  German  and  French  are  in- 
cluded in  the  Koto  Gakko,  or  high  school. 

Moreover,  Japan  has  built  up  its  transportation  system 
and  its  industry  until  it  is  a real  factor  in  the  commerce  of 
the  world. 

Japanese  social  life  is  now  passing  through  a period  of 
stress  and  strain  because  of  the  appearance  in  that  land  of 
the  “new  woman.”  Educated  and  refined  and  familiar  with 
the  customs  of  the  West,  she  is  asserting  her  rights  and  de- 
manding the  privileges  accorded  to  her  sisters  in  the  most 
progressive  countries  of  Europe  and  America.  This  calls 
for  tactful  guidance  on  the  part  of  those  who  know  both  the 
dangers  involved  and  the  limitations  beyond  which  women 
may  not  properly  or  safely  go. 

In  general,  the  social  changes  in  Japan  have  been  chiefly 
in  the  externals.  It  is  only  now  that  the  Japanese  are  be- 
ginning to  feel  after  the  spiritual  side  of  western  civilization, 
without  which  the  social  customs  and  organization  are  an 
empty  shell. 

In  all  this  it  stands  in  a class  by  itself  among  non-Chris- 
tian nations. 

Japanese  Church.  Japanese  Christianity  has  likewise 
shown  a spirit  of  independence  and  an  ability  to  stand  alone 
under  Japanese  leadership  beyond  the  church  in  almost  any 
other  eastern  land  where  missionaries  are  at  work.  The 
churches  planted  by  missionaries  from  the  Presbyterian  and 
Reformed,  the  Congregational,  the  Methodist,  and  the  Bap- 
tist Churches  are  organized  under  their  own  able  leaders, 
clerical  and  lay,  and  in  the  Church  associated  with  the 
Church  of  England  and  the  Episcopal  Church  of  the  United 

6 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 

States  Strong  Japanese  clergy  and  laymen  have  been  de- 
veloped. 

All  this  means  that  no  missionary,  in  Japan  especially,  can 
do  efficient  work  unless  the  innate  Anglo-Saxon  sense  of 
leadership  and  superiority  has  been  subordinated  to  the 
Christian  grace  of  service.  It  is  the  spirit  expressed  by  John 
the  Baptist,  “He  must  increase,  but  I must  decrease,”  which 
must  characterize  the  missionary  to  Japan.  Infinite  patience 
and  tact  and  even,  when  necessary,  a willingness  to  keep  one- 
self so  in  the  background  that  most  of  the  credit  for  some 
achievements  will  go  to  others,  are  necessary  qualifications 
for  work  in  Japan.  The  leadership  of  the  missionary  must 
be  of  a spiritual  type  and  must  rest  upon  his  knowledge  and 
impartation  of  the  great  spiritual  truths  revealed  in  the 
Bible  and  in  the  history  of  Christianity The  great  emphasis 
placed  by  the  Japanese  upon  courtesy  and  etiquette  puts  one 
who  is  brusque  and  impatient  of  form  and  the  refinements 
of  personal  intercourse  at  a disadvantage  in  that  country, 
except  as  strength  of  character  counts  in  Japan  as  elsewhere. 
A certain  amount  of  social  polish  is  helpful,  even  with  the 
artisans  and  laboring  classes;  but  one  who  is  unselfish  and 
sympathetic,  and  has  a spirit  of  genuine  Christian  courtesy 
need  have  no  fear. 

Japan  and  its  people  have  a great  charm  for  the  successful 
worker.  Japan  is  a land  in  which  the  resident  strongly  tends 
to  adopt  with  enthusiasm  the  point  of  view  of  the  people. 
It  is  a field  with  fascinating  possibilities ; but  it  takes  a mis- 
sionary of  grace  of  character  and  adaptability  to  indirect 
leadership  to  succeed.  One  without  these  characteristics 
chafes  under  the  necessary  conditions  of  work  there,  resents 
the  Japanese  attitude,  and  thus  antagonizes  the  people  and 
makes  helpful  co-operation  with  them  impossible. 

Religious  Conditions.  The  missionary  needs  to  pre- 
pare to  face  the  unusual  religious  conditions  which  prevail 
in  Japan. 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


Since  the  restoration,  Bushido  and  Shintoism  have  been 
important  factors  in  the  life  of  Japan.  Bushido  is  an  ethical 
system  built  mainly  upon  Confucianism  and  filled  with  na- 
tional chivalry.  State  Shintoism  has  now  been  declared  by 
government  to  be  merely  a matter  of  state  ceremonial  and 
of  honoring  national  heroes,  not  a religion.  Its  lists  of 
shrines  and  heroes  is  being  revised  to  correspond  with  the 
new  ethical  ideals  of  the  Japanese.  Yet  at  Shinto  shrines 
religious  practices  are  allowed,  high  officials  perform  there 
what  it  is  hard  to  distinguish  from  religious  rites ; and  Shin- 
toists  are  protesting  against  a Christian  request  to  the  gov- 
ernment to  banish  from  the  shrines  all  religious  ceremonies. 
But  whatever  is  thought  of  this  attitude  of  government,  to 
five-sixths  of  the  people  Shintoism  has  not  ceased  to  be  a 
religion  and  some  Christians  regard  it  as  by  far  the  greatest 
foe  of  Christianity. 

Popular  Shintoism  still  influences  the  minds  and  the  lives 
of  the  masses  to  an  even  greater  degree  perhaps  than  Bud- 
dhism. Although  the  younger  generation,  especially  those 
who  have  passed  through  the  secondary  or  higher  institu- 
tions of  learning,  are  somewhat  emancipated  from  its  many 
superstitions  and  practices,  yet  the  connection  between 
Shinto  shrines  and  patriotism  is  so  close,  and  the  official  dis- 
tinction between  Shinto  as  patriotism  and  Shinto  as  religion 
is  so  recent,  hazy,  and  subtle,  and  at  the  same  time  Japanese 
patriotism  is  so  emotional  and  even  religious,  that  it  is  hard 
to  say  whether  or  not  the  power  of  Shintoism  has  been  great- 
ly lessened.  Certain  it  is  that  one  of  the  most  vigorous 
religious  bodies  in  Japan  during  the  past  forty  years  has 
been  a sect  of  Shintoism,  Tenrikyo. 

With  the  close  of  the  Meiji  era  by  the  death  of  His  Imper- 
ial Majesty  Mutsuhito  and  the  accession  of  His  Imperial 
Majesty  Yoshihito,  who  had  mingled  somewhat  with  the 
people,  it  is  expected  by  many  that  much  of  the  air  of  divinity 
which  hedged  about  the  throne  will  ere  long  be  lost.  This 


8 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


will  be  helped  by  the  introduction  of  scientific  education. 
Certain  it  is  that  the  prevalence  of  a more  democratic  spirit 
and  the  demand  for  party  government  and  revision  of  the 
Parliamentary  system  portend  still  greater  changes  in  a 
realm  which  borders  upon  the  former  religious  and  ethical 
ideals  of  the  nation. 

The  prevalence  of  western  training  is  breaking  down  the 
belief  in  the  old  superstitions  and  religious  beliefs.  The  edu- 
cated classes  have  in  large  numbers  revolted  against  religion, 
except  in  so  far  as  Shintoism  is  a religion.  They  have  be- 
come either  indifferent  to  religion,  avowedly  agnostic,  or 
even  frankly  atheistic.  Buddhism,  which  has  played  so  large 
a part  in  the  life  of  Japan  and  was  the  state  religion  in  the 
feudal  days,  still  wields  a strong  influence  over  the  masses, 
especially  in  certain  districts,  but  it  has  lost  any  hold  it  may 
have  had  upon  a considerable  section  of  the  thinking  part  of 
the  nation.  The  influence  of  the  Buddhist . priests  has  be- 
come in  many  cases  demoralizing.  Thus  Baron  Kato  de- 
clared a few  years  ago:  “The  men  who  have  the  doctrines 
in  charge  are  indeed  so  corrupt  that  they  themselves  have 
need  of  reformation.  . . . They  are  a peril  to  society.  . . . 
They  stand  for  the  salvation  of  the  people.  ...  Yet  they 
actually  use  the  people  in  carrying  on  their  evil  lives.  . . . 
They  are  all  corrupt.”  (Okuma,  “Fifty  Years  of  Modern 
Japan,”  II.,  73).  There  is  now  a reformed  Buddhism  which 
is  an  aggressive  force.  It  is,  however,  as  yet  quite  small. 
It  has  adopted  many  of  the  methods  and  some  of  the  tenets 
of  Christianity,  is  developing  an  educational  system  in  which 
the  modern  scientific  view  point  is  upheld  and  has  even  in- 
cluded the  Bible  among  the  books  studied. 

There  is  a growing  tendency  by  some  who  have  themselves 
rejected  religion  to  regard  it  as  a tool  to  aid  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  people,  or  to  promote  morality  among  the  com- 
mon people.  Many  officials  or  prominent  persons  write  and 
speak  favorably  of  Christianity  as  a useful  religion,  but 


9 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


without  any  thought  of  following  it  themselves.  There  is 
a decided  tendency  among  many  educated  leaders  to  give  a 
larger  place  to  religion  as  an  essential  factor  in  national 
development. 

Another  characteristic  of  the  religious  situation  in  Japan 
is  that  many  Japanese  regard  religion  as  merely  a body  of 
doctrine.  This  spirit  is  carried  over  into  Christianity.  This 
tendency  has  been  encouraged  by  the  insistence  by  some  mis- 
sionaries upon  doctrinal  beliefs.  Some  students  do  not  think 
of  Christianity  as  a life  to  be  lived,  but  as  a system  of 
thought.  They  will  study  it  for  years  and  seek  to  realize  its 
ideals  in  practice,  without  first  having  them  become  vital  in 
a change  of  heart.  They  regard  themselves  as  Christians, 
but  do  not  manifest  the  Christian  spirit  towards  others. 
There  are  others  who  regard  themselves  as  having  “gradu- 
ated” in  Christianity  and  who  no  longer  have  anything  to 
do  with  it.  This  attitude  is  quite  natural  because  of  the 
lack  of  vitality  which  has  for  generations  characterized  the 
religious  life  of  Japan.  Another  weakness,  traceable  to  Con- 
fucian  influence,  is  the  tendency  to  look  upon  Christianity 
as  an  ethical  system  without  the  purely  religious  elements  of 
prayer,  communion,  worship,  and  evangelism. 

With  the  weakening  of  the  old  religions,  the  consequent 
loss  of  belief  in  the  old  sanctions  for  conduct,  and  the  intro- 
duction of  the  ethical  problems  inevitable  in  the  industrial 
and  social  development  along  western  lines,  there  has  come 
a weakening  of  morals,  and  an  outbreak  of  unethical  con- 
duct, which  is  most  disquieting  to  thoughtful  observers, 
Japanese  and  foreign,  Christian  and  non-Christian  alike. 
And  as  this  ethical  reaction  is  so  closely  related  to  the  philo- 
sophical and  scientific  beliefs  of  the  students  and  educated 
classes,  it  presents,  together  with  the  religious  situation,  a 
serious  challenge  to  all  Christian  forces  at  work  in  the  na- 
tion. If  it  is  to  be  coped  with  successfully,  it  will  be  by 


10 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


Specially  trained  workers  who  know  that  Christianity  is 
truly  a religion  of  redemption. 

After  all  due  weight  has  been  accorded  to  the  climatic, 
social  and  religious  conditions  of  Japan,  it  still  remains  true 
that  the  supreme  characteristics  needed  by  the  missionary 
are  in  the  realm  of  the  spirit.  The  missionary  must  be  a 
man  or  woman  of  prayer,  and  of  an  abounding  love  for  those 
among  whom  he  labors  as  a spiritual  leader.  Other  charac- 
teristics are  important;  these  are  absolutely  essential. 

II.  Lines  of  Missionary  Work 

There  are  two  characteristics  of  missionary  work  in  Japan 
which  sharply  differentiate  it  from  most  other  fields  and 
make  it  more  nearly  comparable  to  work  in  America.  These 
are  the  relative  lack  of  medical  work  and  of  primary  educa- 
tion. 

Medical  Work.  The  Japanese  have  so  developed  their 
own  medical  facilities  that  the  missions  have  all  but  with- 
drawn from  this  branch  of  work  in  Japan  proper. 

There  are  but  eight  hospitals  and  dispensaries  listed  as 
under  Christian  auspices,  and  one  of  these,  St.  Luke’s  Hos- 
pital, Tokyo,  is  really  an  international  institution,  patronized 
by  officials  and  the  Emperor  and  serving  the  foreign  com- 
munity. There  are  two  leper  hospitals  under  Protestant 
auspices  and  two  under  Roman  Catholic.  At  the  conferences 
held  by  Dr.  Mott  in  Tokyo  (1913)  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Continuation  Committee  of  the  Edinburgh  Conference,  med- 
ical missions  were  not  even  discussed.  Yet  it  should  not  be 
forgotten  that  the  sanitary  conditions  leave  much  to  be  de- 
sired, that  tuberculosis  is  an  ever-present  scourge,  that  the 
death  rate  is  high  from  stomach  and  bowel  diseases,  and 
from  brain  diseases,  and  that  the  rates  charged  by  hospitals 
are  high  in  proportion  to  wages.  A few  discerning  mission- 
aries believe  that  the  medical  field  must  be  reentered  in  part, 
if  western  Christianity  is  to  make  its  full  contribution  to 
Japan. 


11 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


Educational  Work.  In  other  mission  fields  the  bulk  of 
those  under  Christian  instruction  are  enrolled  in  elementary 
and  village  schools.  Thus,  of  the  million  and  a half  reported 
in  the  World  Atlas  of  Christian  Missions  as  in  Protestant 
schools,  more  than  a million  and  a quarter  were  in  these  pri- 
mary schools.  In  Japan,  on  the  other  hand,  according  to  the 
same  statistics,  but  30  per  cent,  were  in  such  schools  and  more 
than  half  were  in  boarding  and  high  schools,  and  these  fig- 
ures included  Formosa,  where  there  is  more  room  for  pri- 
mary education.  The  explanation  of  this  unusual  situation  is 
the  fact  that  the  Japanese  government  provides  elementary 
education  for  all  the  children  of  school  age  and  makes  their 
attendance  for  six  years  obligatory,  unless  excused.  Hence 
nearly  all  the  elementary  education  provided  by  missionaries 
in  Japan  proper  is  for  special  classes  such  as  defectives,  or 
those  who  are^  working  in  factories.  The  lack  of  sufficient 
government  schools  of  higher  grade,  namely  the  middle 
school  (Chu  Gakko)  and  the  high  school  (Koto  Gakko)  to 
accommodate  all  the  applicants  for  admission,  makes  it  pos- 
sible for  the  Christian  forces  to  supplement  the  government 
system  at  this  point. 

The  Christian  schools  in  Japan  are  practically  all  of  mid- 
dle school  grade  or  above,  or  else  are  kindergartens.  The 
Japanese  middle  school  (Chu  Gakko)  corresponds  roughly 
to  the  American  high  school,  although  its  lower  classes  are 
somewhat  more  elementary  and  the  age  of  the  pupils  would 
be  more  nearly  that  of  children  in  the  seventh  or  eighth 
grades  in  our  best  schools.  The  Japanese  have  not  succeeded 
pre-eminently  in  kindergarten  work,  partly,  it  is  said,  be- 
cause they  have  attempted  in  the  government  kindergarten 
to  cut  out  the  religious  basis;  and  some  of  the  best  kinder- 
garten and  training  schools  for  kindergartners  are  under 
mission  auspices.  This  is  in  fact  one  of  the  spheres  of  great 
promise  for  Christian  influence  in  Japan  to-day. 

When  the  projected  Christian  University  in  Tokyo 


12 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


becomes  a reality  and  the  Christian  junior  colleges 
are  strengthened,  this  will  greatly  improve  the  standing  of 
the  Christian  middle  school,  provided  the  quality  of  its  work 
is  up  to  the  required  standard. 

The  missionary  body  and  the  leaders  of  the  Japanese 
Church  are  at  one  in  believing  that  there  should  be  estab- 
lished several  additional  middle  schools  for  boys  and  the  cor- 
responding high  schools  for  girls,  that  the  six  existing 
higher  departments  (junior  colleges)  should  be  much  im- 
proved and  that  there  should  be  erected  a central  Christian 
University  and  a first  class  Christian  college  for  women. 
Some  Japanese  leaders  believe  that  women  should  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  university.  There  is  still  call  for  Christian  kin- 
dergartens. Christian  middle  schools  are  needed,  among 
other  reasons,  for  discovering  and  training  candidates  for 
the  ministry,  as  even  Christian  graduates  of  government 
middle  schools  are  not  sufficiently  grounded  in  Christianity 
to  be  good  material  for  the  ministry.  This  will  call  for  addi- 
tional educational  missionaries  to  whose  training  another 
section  of  the  report  is  devoted. 

There  is  little  call  in  Japan  for  industrial  teachers,  al- 
though it  would  be  well  if  the  manual  training  element  could 
be  introduced  into  the  educational  system. 

Evangelistic  Work.  The  greatest  demand  for  workers 
is  for  evangelistic  missionaries.  The  Japan  National  Con- 
ference, composed  of  Japanese  and  foreign  delegates,  which 
met  under  the  lead  of  Dr.  John  R.  Mott  in  April,  1913,  made 
the  following  declaration: 

“A  careful  and  most  painstaking  survey  of  the  whole 
country  [Japan  proper],  conducted  by  the  Committee  on  the 
Distribution  of  Forces,  specially  appointed  by  the  Confer- 
ence of  Federated  Missions,  brings  to  our  attention  anew 
the  vast  unoccupied  territory  in  Japan.  Approximately  80 
per  cent,  of  the  total  population,  or  above  forty  millions,  re- 
side in  rural  districts,  of  which  number,  so  far  as  our  data 


13 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


indicate,  96  per  cent,  constitute  an  entirely  unvvorked  field. 
Of  the  remaining  20  per  cent,  of  the  total  population,  re- 
siding in  cities  and  towns,  about  one-fifth  is  still  unprovided 
for ; thus  giving  us  the  result  that  above  80  per  cent,  of  the 
population  of  Japan  are  not  being  directly  reached  by  the 
evangelistic  forces.  Even  in  the  cities  and  towns  which  are 
occupied,  a comparatively  small  portion  of  the  people  have 
been  in  any  real  sense  evangelized.” 

Adequately  to  meet  these  needs  requires  a large  increase — 
some  would  say  four-fold — of  the  Japanese  workers,  which, 
in  turn,  calls  for  the  improvement  or  enlargement  of  the 
schools  for  training  them.  It  also  calls  for  a large  increase 
in  the  force  of  evangelistic  missionaries.  The  exact  number 
called  for  is  now  being  investigated,  but  so  far  as  results 
have  been  secured,  the  indication  is  that  there  will  be  needed 
in  the  near  future  approximately  475  additional  evangelistic 
workers,  or  an  increase  in  the  missionary  force  of  more  than 
fifty  per  cent.  Some  of  these  should  be  located  in  cities  and 
towns  now  inadequately  occupied  or  not  occupied  at  all. 
Others  should  be  located  in  the  smaller  cities  or  larger  towns 
with  a view  to  devoting  themselves  principally  to  the  rural 
work.  It  may,  in  fairness,  be  added  that  some  doubt  the 
necessity  or  wisdom  of  any  such  increase  in  the  number  of 
missionaries. 

Special  Lines  of  Work  : ( 1 ) Rural  IV orkers. — The  rural 
districts  are  as  yet  all  but  untouched  by  Christian  forces.  A 
few  missions  have  begun  special  efforts  to  reach  the  farming 
class  and  have  had  most  encouraging  results.  The  leaders 
in  such  work  should  be  men  or  women  of  simple  tastes  and 
devoted  spirit,  with  an  intellectual  equipment  not  inferior  to 
that  of  other  missionaries,  but  trained  to  carry  on  various 
forms  of  social  work  and  to  understand  the  agricultural 
problems  of  the  farmers. 

(2)  Christian  Social  Workers. — Industrially  Japan  is  in 
a condition  similar  to  that  of  England  a century  ago.  All  the 


14 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


problems  incident  to  the  development  of  a factory  system  are 
pressing  for  solution.  The  feudal  system,  which  provided 
a place  for  each  individual,  is  gone,  and  unmarried  men  and 
especially  young  women  come  to  the  cities  to  work  in  the  fac- 
tories. Christian  social  workers  are  needed,  and  above  all 
Christian  women  who  can  help  the  working  girls  of  Japan 
away  from  home  and  subject  to  the  perils  of  great  cities. 
An  exceptional  opportunity  exists  for  lay  social  workers  who 
have  sufficient  means  for  equipping  and  maintaining  settle- 
ment work.  The  churches  are  financially  weak  and  philan- 
thropy is  undeveloped.  There  is  also  need  for  a few  workers 
in  the  large  cities  with  the  best  equipment  for  temperance 
and  social  purity  work,  for  educational  preventive  anti-tuber- 
culosis work,  including  popular  education  as  to  personal  and 
family  hygiene,  and  for  constructive  w'ork  in  the  rehabili- 
tation of  families.  Much  of  this  work  would  be  done  in  co- 
operation with  Japanese  organizations. 

(3)  Missionaries  especially  trained  to  deal  zvith  Students 
in  Government  and  in  Christian  Schools. — At  their  best  the 
Christian  schools  will  contain  but  a small  fraction  of  the  stu- 
dents of  Japan.  The  vast  majority  will  study  in  government 
schools,  from  which  instruction  in  religion  is  excluded  and 
in  which,  in  spite  of  the  presence  of  some  Christian  teachers, 
the  influence  is  generally  anti-Christian,  and  often  anti-reli- 
gious. Of  late  a considerable  change  has  taken  place,  espe- 
cially since  the  department  of  religion  has  come  under  the 
government  department  of  education.  The  “Association 
Concordia”  is  taking  active  steps  to  secure  the  co-operation 
of  the  Education  Department  in  overcoming  this  hostile  in- 
fluence. There  is  crying  need  for  workers  who  can  deal  with 
a class,  which  will  ultimately  dominate  the  empire.  Even  the 
Christian  schools  have  not  secured  enough  Christian  leaders 
for  the  Japanese  church  and  community.  A definite  attempt 
should  be  made  to  get  into  closer  touch  with  students  in  the 
middle  schools,  through  English  and  Bible  classes,  the  prepa- 


15 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


ration  and  distribution  of  suitable  literature,  and  the  influ- 
ence of  Christian  hostels  and  the  missionary’s  own  home. 
Workers,  Japanese  and  foreign,  who  are  fitted  to  deal  with 
young  people  should  be  stationed  where  there  are  middle  and 
higher  schools  and  some  might  be  especially  set  apart  for 
this  work  for  students. 

(4)  Educators  of  the  highest  Training  and  approved 
Efficiency. — At  many  points  the  Christian  schools,  though 
they  are  steadily  advancing,  have  been  left  behind  by  the  gov- 
ernment schools  in  the  rapid  advance  of  recent  years.  While 
the  great  need  in  the  Christian  schools  is  financial,  in  order 
that  the  equipment  may  be  improved  and  better  Japanese 
teachers  be  secured,  yet  there  is  also  need  of  some  highly 
trained  missionary  teachers.  These  are  especially  needed 
for  places  in  the  proposed  Christian  University  and  the  Col- 
lege for  Women,  as  well  as  for  improving  the  quality  of  work 
in  the  existing  junior  colleges,  theological  seminaries,  and 
training  schools  for  men  and  women.  Such  teachers  should 
be  specialists,  both  men  and  women. 

(5)  Promoters  of  Bible  Study,  especially  by  developing 
Sunday  schools  to  greater  efficiency  and  building  up  a much 
larger  number  of  schools  or  groups  of  classes  for  religious 
instruction  both  on  Sunday  and  on  week  days.  One  of  the 
great  needs  in  Japan  to-day  is  for  trained  teachers  for  such 
schools  who  will  be  able  to  study  the  situation  in  Japan  in 
the  light  of  modern  educational  principles,  and  assist  the 
Japanese  in  the  development  of  this  line  of  work. 

(6)  Evangelistic  Workers. — It  cannot  be  emphasized  too 
strongly  or  too  often  that  workers  in  all  the  fields  mentioned 
above  should  have  the  evangelistic  ability  and  purpose,  so 
that  they  shall  guide  all  the  persons  whom  they  influence  for 
Christ.  But  there  is  need  also  for  a number  of  men  and 
women  trained  to  do  field  evangelism  in  cities  and  villages, 
and  to  assist  in  enlisting  and  training  Japanese  lay  workers 
in  actual  evangelism.  For  success  in  this  work,  it  is  neces- 


16 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


sary  that  these  workers  should  be  of  as  high  quality  as  spe- 
cialists in  other  lines.  Some  of  these  workers  might  well  be 
trained  in  some  of  the  lines  mentioned  under  headings  1,  2, 
3,  and  5 above. 

(7)  There  is  also  a call  for  a few  literary  workers,  who 
will  assist  in  providing  the  literature  needed  by  the  Christian 
community  for  its  own  spiritual  nurture  and  in  its  work  of 
commending  Christianity  to  non-Christians.  The  prepara- 
tion of  literature  for  Sunday  schools  should  be  mentioned 
here  though  it  naturally  belongs  under  (5).  A beginning 
has  been  made  in  the  use  of  the  secular  press  for  the  publi- 
cation of  articles  on  Christian  subjects.  Some  training  in 
journalism  might  be  helpful  at  this  point.  It  seems  right  to 
mention  this  call  even  though  no  new  missionary  can  do  this 
work  and  one  cannot  tell  in  advance  who  will  prove  fit  for 
such  tasks.  Recent  steps  are  doing  much  to  meet  this  need. 
This  work  requires  the  services  of  those  who  are  familiar 
with  the  genius  of  the  Japanese  nation  and  who  keep  closely 
in  touch  with  the  development  of  thought  both  in  Japan  and 
in  the  West. 

In  all  these  fields  of  work,  there  is  need  for  women  as  well 
as  for  men,  except  as  specified. 

III.  Lines  of  Preparation 

In  the  light  of  these  conditions  and  demands,  how  can  the 
missionary  candidate  best  be  prepared  for  work  in  Japan? 
It  may  be  said  that  in  general  full  preparation,  cultural  and 
technical,  is  highly  desirable,  if  not  essential.  There  is  no 
place  in  Japan  for  persons  of  inferior  calibre,  but  there  is  a 
place  for  persons  who  could  not  be  pronounced  of  the  highest 
intellectual  type,  but  who  are  above  the  average  and  who  ex- 
cel in  qualities  of  heart  and  character.  The  men  and  women 
needed  in  Japan  are  those  who  have  sympathy  and  breadth 
of  view,  who  are  intellectually  alert,  who  can  think  through 
difficult  problems  with  impartial  accuracy,  who  are  courage- 
ously loyal  to  the  truth  as  they  see  it  and  yet  can  respect  the 

17 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


different  opinion  of  another,  who  know  the  technique  of 
their  particular  work,  and  who  above  all  are  intelligently 
and  vitally  Christian  through  and  through.  It  is  more  im- 
portant that  missionaries  should  possess  these  qualities,  even 
if  their  preparation  has  not  been  complete,  than  that  they 
should  have  gone  through  a long  course  of  study  without 
having  developed  these  characteristics,  which  should  nor- 
mally result  from  such  training.  While  any  mission  Board 
would  appoint  candidates  possessing  these  intellectual  and 
moral  qualifications  without  the  full  training,  yet  these  are 
the  exceptions  and  as  a rule  what  is  required  of  clergymen, 
educators,  or  social  workers  in  the  United  States  or  Canada 
is  required  for  such  workers  in  Japan,  and  then  additional 
preparation.  Whatever  may  be  said  of  other  countries,  for 
Japan  any  preparation  that  is  superficial  in  character  and  is 
not  based  upon  broad  culture  and  thorough  professional 
training  is  likely  to  prove  inadequate.  A full  college  or  uni- 
versity course  and  technical  training  are  as  a rule  essential. 
Any  one  who  is  to  teach  such  subjects  as  theology  or  ped- 
agogy  requires  more  than  undergraduate  courses  to  qualify 
for  such  a place.  Any  degree  showing  special  attainment, 
such  as  the  degrees  of  M.A.  and  Ph.D.,  is  held  in  high  esteem 
and  the  holder  thereof  accorded  special  respect.  It  is  most 
desirable  that  educational  missionaries  should  either  have  or 
expect  soon  to  obtain  at  least  the  degree  of  M.A. 

All  the  highest  institutions  of  learning  in  Japan  are 
manned  by  Japanese  who  are  not  only  graduates  of  Japanese 
universities,  but  who  have  had  from  two  to  four  years  of 
post-graduate  work  and  foreign  travel.  If  missionary  edu- 
cators are  to  stand  on  a level  of  equality  with  Japanese  pro- 
fessors, they  must  have  training  that  is  at  least  comparable. 

The  women  missionaries  in  Japan  need  as  full  and  thor- 
ough preparation  as  the  men  who  are  engaged  in  the  same 
lines  of  work.  Except  where  otherwise  specified,  it  may  be 


18 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


taken  for  granted  that  the  preparation  urged  for  mission- 
aries to  Japan  applies  alike  to  men  and  to  women. 

Preparation  at  Home.  Even  at  the  risk  of  undue  repe- 
tition, it  should  be  emphasized  at  the  outset  that  the  lines 
of  preparation  noted  below  should  be  built  upon  a vital 
Christian  experience,  an  experience  which  is  not  merely  a 
thing  of  the  past,  but  which  is  of  the  very  essence  of  the 
daily  life. 

A.  General.  The  following  subjects  may  be  men- 
tioned as  of  special  value  to  one  preparing  for  work  in  Japan, 
although  not  every  missionary  can  go  very  far  in  all. 

( 1 ) Principles  of  Education. — “Pedagogy,  especially  for 
Sunday  school  and  educational  work,”  was  first  put  in  the 
recommendations  made  on  this  topic  by  the  so-called  Japan 
National  Conference,  composed  of  Japanese  and  mission- 
aries, which  was  held  under  the  lead  of  Dr.  John  R.  Mott  at 
Tokyo,  in  April,  1913.  The  reason  for  this  has  already  been 
set  forth  at  sufficient  length.  All  missionaries  need  to  under- 
stand the  principles  of  education  as  applied  to  instruction  in 
religion. 

(2)  An  Understanding  of  Christianity  and  its  Solution 
of  the  Problems  of  Thought  and  Life. — The  minimum  re- 
quired under  this  head  is  a familiarity  with  the  contents  and 
teaching  of  the  Bible,  with  special  emphasis  upon  the  life  and 
teaching  of  Jesus,  and  a well-ordered  grasp  of  Christian 
truth.  Each  worker  should  be  able  to  use  the  English  Bible 
and  to  tell  others  what  it  means  to  be  a Christian.  The 
knowledge  of  the  Bible  and  Christian  doctrine  which  is  usu- 
ally secured  by  attendance  at  public  worship  and  at  Sunday 
School,  supplemented  by  private  daily  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
tures or  by  attendance  upon  Bible  classes  under  inexpert 
guidance  is  not  sufficient  to  enable  one  to  become  efficient  in 
leading  intelligent  Japanese  into  the  Christian  life.  As  al- 
ready explained,  the  Japanese  students  are  facing  all  the 
maze  into  which  modern  science  has  led  them.  They  have 

19 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


lost  or  are  losing  faith  in  their  old  beliefs,  are  familiar  with 
the  anti-Christian  teaching  of  much  of  the  literature  of  the 
last  thirty  years,  and  tend  to  regard  all  religion  as  mere  su- 
perstition. To  meet  these  various  needs,  the  missionary 
candidate  may  wisely  elect  such  courses  as  the  following: 

o.  The  Bible,  to  understand  in  a modem  scientific  and  at  the 
same  time  vital  way  its  development,  contents,  and  message.  The 
problems  raised  by  the  higher  criticism  and  the  doctrine  of  evolu- 
tion must  be  squarely  faced.  This  is  the  more  important  because 
of  a tendency  among  the  Japanese  to  think  little  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. 

h.  Christian  Doctrine,  to  get  a well  ordered  understanding  of 
Christian  tmth  as  a system  of  thought  as  well  as  a vital,  trans- 
forming force.  The  missionary  needs  to  be  able  to  give  an  intel- 
ligent answer  to  such  questions  as  these : 

How  should  Christians  think  of  God  and  his  relation  to  the  world  and 
to  man  ? 

Why  is  the  pantheistic  idea  of  God  wrong?  Why  should  we  believe 
in  a personal  God? 

How  should  Christians  think  of  Christ?  What  is  the  meaning  of  his 
life,  deatl^  and  resurrection? 

What  do  Christians  mean  by  the  Holy  Spirit? 

What  is  man,  especially  in  his  relations  to  God? 

What  is  sin?  What  is  holiness?  How  is  a sinful  man  changed  into 
a holy  man? 

What  is  the  significance  of  forgiveness  and  atonement  and  how  are 
they  brought  about? 

How  should  Christians  regard  the  Bible,  including  such  elements  as 
the  story  of  creation,  miracles,  etc.? 

What  is  prayer?  What  is  faith?  What  is  conversion? 

What  do  Christians  mean  by  the  final  judgment  and  by  heaven? 

What  does  Christianity  expect  of  the  individual  in  his  relations  to  God  • 
and  to  his  fellow  men? 

t.  What  is  the  Church  and  what  its  work  and  purpose? 

What  does  Christianity  expect  to  make  of  this  world?  What  does  it 
mean  by  the  kingdom  of  God? 

! / An  attempt  to  comprehend  in  an  orderly  fashion  such  elements 
' as  these  in  Christian  truth  is  of  the  utmost  value  for  the  mis- 
sionary both  as  an  individual  Christian  and  as  an  exponent  of 
Christianity  to  the  Japanese. 

c.  The  history  of  Christianity,  including  the  relation  of  the 
Church  and  of  cognate  institutions  and  movements  to  the  thought 
and  institutions  of  the  last  nineteen  centuries. 


20 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


d.  Philosophy,  in  order  to  understand  how  men  in  all  ages 
have  interpreted  the  universe,  man,  God,  and  man’s  relation  to 
his  environment,  material,  human,  and  divine,  and  especially  in 
order  to  get  the  Christian  view  of  the  world,  of  life,  and  of  con- 
duct. Such  specific  questions  as  those  concerning  miracles  and 
prayer  are  of  vital  importance  to  the  Japanese  student  who  is 
interested  in  Christianity.  The  problems  raised  by  the  new  psy- 
chology, especially  in  its  relation  to  religion  and  philosophy,  come 
in  here.  The  best  methods  of  meeting  the  agnostic  and  atheistic 
views  of  life  and  the  universe  are  also  most  important.  There 
should  be  clear  thinking  regarding  the  positions  of  materialism 
and  idealism. 

e.  Comparative  Religion,  in  order  to  understand  the  unique 
place  of  Christianity  among  the  religions  of  the  world,  and  how 
it  satisfies  the  religious  needs  of  mankind.  Special  attention  may 
well  be  given  to  Buddhism,  Confucianism,  and  Shintoism  in  order 
to  prepare  the  way  for  a scholarly  study  of  the  forms  they  take 
in  Japan  itself. 

(3)  An  experiential  Knowledge  of  Christianity. — The 
candidate  may  be  a specialist  in  the  fields  just  mentioned  and 
yet  may  be  an  utter  failure  as  a missionary.  He  will  surely 
be  such  unless  Christianity  is  to  him  more  than  a subject  to 
be  mastered;  it  must  be  a life  which  has  mastered  him.  It 
must  be  so  vital  that  it  sends  him  forth  on  fire  with  zeal  to 
lead  others  into  a like  experience.  The  normal  Christian  in 
the  early  church  apparently  possessed  an  exuberance  of  joy, 
a buoyancy  of  spirit,  a richness  of  personal  experience  which 
has  ceased  to  be  normal  among  the  Christians  of  the  West. 
It  is  characteristic  of  many  of  the  Christians  on  the  mission 
field,  and  should  be  characteristic  of  the  missionary  also.  It 
is  not  a thing  that  can  be  acquired  in  a mechanical  way,  by 
dint  of  reading  a specified  number  of  books  or  pursuing  a 
definite  course  of  study.  It  is  a matter  that  should  call  for 
serious  attention  on  the  part  of  every  candidate.  He  should 
pray  and  strive  that  Christ’s  joy,  which  He  promised  to  His 
disciples,  may  be  his  own.  And  it  will  be,  provided  his  life 
is  lived  in  constant  fellowship  with  the  Master. 


21 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


(4)  Applied  Christianity. — “The  application  of  Chris- 
tian faith  and  thought  to  social  and  industrial  problems, 
which  in  the  next  decade  will  demand  some  workers  of  spe- 
cial knowledge  and  enthusiasm,”  was  the  second  demand  of 
the  Japan  National  Conference  in  1913.  This  includes  theo- 
retical and  applied  sociology,  including  economic  history, 
and  the  history  of  modern  industrialism,  modern  charity, 
and  all  the  program  of  the  modern  social  reformer.  Social- 
ism and  its  relation  to  Christianity  is  a live  issue  in  Japan 
to-day.  The  social  problems  are  among  the  most  critical  be- 
fore Japan,  and  the  missionary  who  understands  their  sig- 
nificance and  the  lines  along  which  their  solution  lies,  and 
who  burns  with  a Christian  social  zeal  can  render  an  im- 
portant service  to  Christianity  in  Japan  to-day.  Many 
Japanese  doubt  the  power  of  Christianity  to  solve  their  so- 
cial, industrial,  and  ethical  problems. 

(5)  An  historical  and  comparative  Study  of  Missions. — 
Some  missionaries  would  put  in  first  place  a knowledge  of 
the  so-called  science  of  missions.  The  situation  in  Japan  is 
such  that  the  missionary  should  be  equipped  with  a knowl- 
edge of  whatever  is  helpful  in  the  missionary  experience  of 
the  whole  Christian  Church,  and  especially  of  the  Christian 
Church  in  Japan.  He  should  know  what  history  has  to  teach 
regarding  the  fundamental  purpose  of  missionary  work,  the 
relative  emphasis  that  should  be  put  upon  the  different 
phases  of  missionary  endeavor;  the  dangers  that  attend  too 
exclusive  emphasis,  for  example,  upon  the  work  of  evangel- 
ism or  of  education ; the  errors  that  are  to  be  guarded  against 
in  the  realm  of  doctrine,  or  in  the  way  of  compromise  with 
non-Christian  thought,  institutions,  or  customs ; the  methods 
of  making  most  helpful  the  relations  between  the  missionary 
and  the  church  in  Japan;  the  best  methods  of  reaching  those 
as  yet  untouched  by  Christian  influence;  the  ways  by  which 
the  Christian  school  may  be  made  most  effective  as  a Chris- 
tianizing agency,  etc.  These  are  merely  examples  of  the  sort 

22 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


of  topics  that  are  included  under  this  heading.  Those  who 
have  had  an  adequate  theological  course  will  be  able  to  se- 
cure much  of  this  through  private  reading. 

(6)  The  History,  Religions  and  Social  Polity  of  Japan. — 
These  should  be  subjects  for  study  by  the  missionary 
throughout  his  career,  but  foundations  can  best  be  laid  dur- 
ing the  years  of  preparation.  Such  work  will  enable  the  new 
missionary  to  enter  more  quickly  into  the  spirit  of  Japanese 
life  and  understand  the  significance  of  the  phenomena  which 
greet  him  upon  his  arrival  in  the  country.  Some  preliminary 
instruction  regarding  Japanese  customs,  etiquette,  and  the 
best  methods  of  approaching  the  people  may  wisely  be  in- 
cluded. 

(7)  Phonetics. — Preliminary  training  in  general  phonet- 
ics and  in  methods  of  language  study  will  materially  assist 
the  missionary  to  acquire  the  Japanese  language  more  quickly 
and  more  accurately.  This  applies  even  to  those  who  will 
enter  the  Tokyo  Japanese  Language  School.  Experience 
here  has  already  shown  the  advantage  of  such  training  at 
home.  While  the  phonetics  of  Japanese  are  less  difficult 
than  those  of  some  other  languages,  yet  it  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  missionaries  who  have  lived  in  Japan  for 
years  and  who  are  regarded  as  masters  of  Japanese,  yet  often 
fail  in  the  niceties  of  pronunciation.  Here  is  where  a scien- 
tific study  of  phonetics,  especially  when  supplemented  by 
laboratory  experiments,  will  be  of  great  assistance.  Pho- 
netics, however,  would  best  be  omitted  unless  studied  under 
a thoroughly  and  scientifically  trained  teacher,  and  the  num- 
ber of  these  is  comparatively  limited. 

(8)  Supervised  Work  with  Individuals. — It  is  possible 
for  a new  missionary,  whose  zeal  is  not  tempered  with  suffi- 
cient knowledge,  to  do  within  the  first  few  }'^ears  of  his  work 
in  Japan  much  harm,  which  it  may  take  him  years  to  correct. 
Before  leaving  home,  he  should  have  his  first  lessons  in  deal- 
ing with  the  spiritual  needs  of  individuals,  should  learn  tact 


23 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


and  the  various  methods  of  approach,  and  should  so  taste 
of  the  joys  of  this  work,  which  is  the  very  heart  of  the  mis- 
sionary enterprise,  that  he  will  ever  be  the  bearer  of  the 
evangel.  The  missionary  should  take  to  Japan  with  him  a 
teachable  spirit  and  not  go  out  with  a “know-it-all”  air,  sim- 
ply because  he  has  been  a successful  worker  at  home.  If 
the  practical  work  at  home  can  be  supervised  by  one  who  is 
familiar  with  conditions  abroad  and  who  can  thus  translate 
the  experiences  at  home  into  terms  of  the  future  work,  it  will 
be  of  great  advantage.  Experience  abundantly  proves  the 
very  great  value  of  such  work  and  the  possibility  of  trans- 
forming a crude  and  even  inefficient  candidate  into  one  who 
is  relatively  efficient  and  who  will  realize  the  necessity  of 
learning  the  people’s  customs  and  point  of  view.  Such  a 
person  will  gladly  place  himself  under  the  guidance  of  ex- 
perienced missionaries  and  Japanese  pastors  before  he  un- 
dertakes independent  work. 

In  Japan  there  is  little  call  for  the  missionary  who  is  a 
“jack-at-all-trades.”  Industrial  training  is  not  called  for, 
and  the  missionary  does  not  require  any  medical  training  be- 
yond knowing  how  to  preserve  health  and  meet  emergencies. 

Caution.  The  statement  has  just  been  made  that  the  mis- 
sionary in  Japan  should  not  be  a “jack-at-all-trades.”  This 
applies  as  much  to  the  matter  of  intellectual  preparation  as 
to  the  subject  of  practical  skill.  The  elements  just  mentioned 
cannot  all  be  mastered  by  any  one  missionary ; he  cannot  be 
a specialist  in  all  these  subjects.  If  he  attempted  it,  or  tried 
to  study  everything  which  might  be  of  value  to  him  in  Japan, 
he  would  not  reach  the  country  until  middle  life,  or  even  old 
age,  and  arrival  upon  the  field  should  not  be  unduly  delayed. 
Each  missionary  should  seek  to  be  a specialist  in  some  one 
line  and  to  be  intelligent  regarding  the  other  subjects.  A 
similar  statement  may  be  made  regarding  the  various  lines 
of  missionary  effort  which  lie  open  to  the  missionaries. 


24 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


How  do  these  general  statements  apply  to  the  preparation 
of  different  classes  of  missionaries? 

B.  Ordained  Missionaries.  The  one  who  looks  for- 
ward to  work  as  an  ordained  missionary  should  take  a full 
college  and  theological  course.  In  college  and  university 
solid  foundations  should  be  laid  in  psychology  and  philos- 
ophy. Enough  natural  science,  at  least,  to  give  an  under- 
standing of  the  scientific  view  of  the  world  should  be  in- 
cluded. Courses  in  sociology  and  to  a less  extent  in  ethnology 
may  well  be  emphasized,  and  this  should  include  a study  of 
economic  and  industrial  problems  and  the  principles  of  mod- 
ern philanthropy.  Where  feasible  an  idea  of  the  modern 
theories  of  education  may  well  be  secured.  A course  in  the 
history  of  eastern  Asia  would  lay  foundations  for  an  under- 
standing of  present-day  Japan.  A real  mastery  of  one  lan- 
guage is  a great  step  towards  the  mastery  of  another;  but 
this  means  learning  to  speak  it,  not  merely  to  translate  pas- 
sages by  means  of  grammar  and  dictionary.  If  German  or 
French  can  be  learned  thus,  it  will  be  helpful  as  a prepara- 
tion for  learning  Japanese,  as  well  as  be  of  value  of  itself. 

In  his  theological  course  emphasis  should  be  laid  upon 
those  courses  which  will  best  give  an  understanding  of  the 
Bible,  its  history,  its  contents,  and  its  message,  and  these 
should  make  the  Bible  of  practical  value  in  dealing  with  in- 
dividuals. A grasp  of  Christian  truth  in  its  relation  to  the 
thought  and  problems  of  the  present  day  and  to  other  re- 
ligions, and  the  best  methods  of  defending  it  against  the 
attacks  of  non-Christian  philosophy,  pseudo-science,  and  the 
whole  realm  of  agnostic  and  atheistic  thought,  is  very  essen- 
tial. The  philosophy  and  history  of  religion,  apologetics,  and 
comparative  religion  are  of  value  here,  but  they  ought  to  be 
keyed  to  meet  the  problems  of  Japan  rather  than  of  Amer- 
ica. The  history  of  the  church  and  of  the  missionary  enter- 
prise are  also  important,  if  properly  presented.  Where  the 


25 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


science  and  art  of  religious  education  are  taught,  these  should 
not  be  neglected  by  the  prospective  missionary. 

In  this  connection  reference  should  be  had  to  the  findings 
of  the  conference  of  theological  seminaries  which  met,  at  the 
call  of  the  Board  of  Missionary  Preparation,  in  New  York, 
December  1 and  2,  1914,  and  discussed  the  preparation  of 
ordained  missionaries  (see  pages  417  to  422). 

It  will  rarely  be  possible  for  the  candidate  to  include  all 
these  subjects  in  his  college  and  divinity  course,  but  these  are 
the  themes  on  which  emphasis  may  wisely  be  placed.  If  an 
additional  year  of  preparation  is  possible,  this  should  include 
what  has  necessarily  been  omitted,  as  well  as  a more  detailed 
study  of  the  so-called  science  of  missions,  and  courses  which 
will  lay  the  foundations  for  an  understanding  of  the  Japan- 
ese people,  their  history,  social  organization,  thought-life, 
religion,  and  ideals.  The  ethnography  of  Japan  and  a study 
of  the  sociological  problems  of  missionary  work  are  other 
topics  of  value.  Linguistics  and  phonetics,  with  special  ref- 
erence to  the  peculiarities  of  the  Japanese  language,  should 
be  included,  provided  proper  facilities  are  available  for  ac- 
curate, thorough,  and  scientific  training,  but  not  otherwise. 

Some  of  the  most  delicate  and  important  questions  before 
missions  in  Japan  concern  the  relations  between  the  Japanese 
Church,  in  different  denominations,  and  the  missions.  This 
includes  the  relation  of  the  missionary  to  the  Japanese 
Church  and  the  relation  of  this  Church  to  the  Church  which 
established  and  supports  its  co-operating  mission.  If  the 
ordained  missionary  can  be  introduced  to  the  history  of  this 
question  and  its  varying  answers  in  advance  of  his  arrival, 
it  will  be  helpful.  The  ordained  missionary  should  be  able 
to  advise  with  the  Japanese  pastors  with  reference  to  the 
most  effective  methods  of  work  and  organization  in  the  local 
congregation  or  district.  While  this  is  the  task  of  the  older 
missionary,  yet  it  presupposes  first-hand  knowledge  of  the 
actual  workings  of  churches  and  this  must  be  secured  at 


26 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


home.  Experience  indicates  the  great  value,  even  to  gradu- 
ates of  theological  seminaries  or  colleges,  of  both  theoretical 
and  practical  training  under  the  guidance  of  persons  with 
missionary  experience,  if  they  are  to  avoid  the  almost  in- 
evitable mistakes  of  the  new  missionary. 

In  recent  years  there  has  been  a decided  movement  on  the 
part  of  theological  seminaries  towards  adding  to  their  cur- 
ricula courses  which  are  especially  designed  to  prepare  the 
future  missionary  to  meet  the  problems  which  are  peculiar 
to  the  foreign  field.  In  this  way  many  missionary  candidates 
can  secure  excellent  general  missionary  preparation,  at  least 
for  certain  fields.  Yet  there  is  a conviction  on  the  part  of 
many  that  these  courses,  admirable  and  necessary  as  they 
are,  do  not  completely  satisfy  the  requirements  for  such  a 
country  as  Japan,  and  that  some  ordained  missionaries,  at 
least,  should  secure  still  further  preparation.  Some  of  this 
can  be  gained  by  private  reading,  but  candidates  should  care- 
fully consider  the  advisability  and  possibility  of  an  addi- 
tional year  of  preparation,  and  if  this  does  not  seem  feasible 
before  entering  upon  their  work,  they  should  aim  to  secure 
it  on  one  of  their  early  furloughs. 

C.  Educational  Missionaries.  The  educational  mis- 
sionary to  Japan  needs  a broad  general  culture  and  the  best 
training  available  in  the  science  and  art  of  education.  Some- 
thing more  than  an  ordinary  normal  course  that  does  not  pre- 
suppose a college  course  is  required.  For  one  who  is  to  teach 
in  the  higher  Christian  schools,  graduate  courses  in  one’s 
specialty  are  imperative. 

The  educational  missionary  goes  out  as  a missionary  even 
more  than  as  an  educator.  It  is,  therefore,  vital  that  he 
should  have  at  least  the  minimum  specified  above,  viz.,  “a 
familiarity  with  the  contents  and  teaching  of  the  Bible,  with 
special  emphasis  upon  the  life  and  teaching  of  Jesus,  and  a 
well-ordered  grasp  of  Christian  truth.”  He  should  have 
faced  squarely  the  philosophical  and  religious  questions  al- 

27 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


ready  specified  so  that  he  can  guide  students  through  their 
problems  into  the  Christian  life.  All  educational  mission- 
aries should  be  equipped  to  be  efficient  teachers  of  the  Bible 
and  of  its  application  to  the  problems  of  personal  and  social 
life.  They  all  have  the  opportunity  for  Bible  teaching,  which 
they  should  be  prepared  and  willing  to  accept.  The  educa- 
tors may  wisely  know  enough  of  sociology  to  appreciate  the 
social  problems  of  Japan  and  be  able  to  inspire  the  students 
with  a passion  for  social  reform. 

With  this  end  in  view,  the  candidate  may  well  include  in 
his  college  or  university  work  courses  in  philosophy,  com- 
parative religion,  and  the  like.  Thorough,  scholarly,  and 
constructive  courses  in  the  Bible  should  be  elected  if  avail- 
able. Any  studies  or  practical  work  which  will  prepare  him 
to  deal  with  students  and  lead  them  into  the  Christian  life 
are  imperative ; for  unless  he  can  do  this,  he  will  be  a failure 
as  a missionary. 

Otherwise  the  training  of  the  educational  missionary  is 
similar  to  that  of  other  lay  missionaries,  which  is  treated 
under  the  next  heading. 

D.  Women  and  Lay  Missionaries.  Like  educational 
missionaries,  lay  missionaries,  social  workers  and  others, 
whether  men  or  women,  should  have  a broad  general  culture 
and  be  masters  of  their  specialty.  Women  missionaries 
who  go  out  as  evangelistic  workers  should  secure  as  much 
of  the  training  outlined  for  ordained  missionaries  as  possible. 
For  Japan,  at  least,  it  is  a mistake  to  suppose  that  while  men 
need  three  or  four  years  of  special  preparation,  women  can 
get  along  with  little  or  none. 

For  all  women  and  lay  missionaries,  the  college  course 
should  include  work  in  philosophy,  psychology,  principles 
of  education  and  some  practice  work,  the  social  sciences, 
including  their  application  to  the  problems  of  philanthropy 
and  social  reform.  Courses  of  the  constructive  type  which 
are  offered  in  the  Bible  and  comparative  religion  should  be 


28 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


included.  Linguistics  and  the  study  of  languages  like  Ger- 
man or  French  by  modern  methods  are  also  of  value. 

Lay  missionaries,  men  or  women,  who  expect  to  spend 
their  lives  in  Japan  should  plan  to  supplement  their  college 
and  professional  work  by  at  least  one  year — in  many  cases, 
two  years — of  special  preparation,  which  should  include  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  studies  mentioned  under  the  head  of 
A.  General.  A thorough  grounding  in  the  Bible,  Christian 
doctrine,  the  relations  of  Christianity  to  other  religions  and 
its  effective  presentation  as  the  solvent  of  the  problems  of 
personal  and  social  life  is  essential.  Some  training  in  psy- 
chology and  the  principles  of  education  with  special  refer- 
ence to  instruction  in  religion  are  only  less  important.  Next 
come  the  introduction  of  the  missionary  to  an  understanding 
of  Japan,  an  appreciation  of  the  significance  of  the  problems 
of  social  progress,  and  a familiarity  with  at  least  the  ele- 
ments of  the  science  of  missions.  Of  great  value  is  the 
practical  introduction  under  trained  guidance  into  work  for 
others,  in  order  that  the  natural  mistakes  made  by  all  new 
missionaries  shall  be  perpetrated  at  home  rather  than  in 
Japan,  where  their  effect  would  be  more  serious.  As  for 
other  missionaries,  instruction  in  phonetics  and  methods  of 
language  study  should  not  be  overlooked. 

A little  of  this  work  can  be  secured  in  colleges,  but  only  a 
little,  except  in  rare  instances.  Much  may  be  done  in  a single 
year  of  special  preparation,  and  still  more  in  two  years.  All 
this  can  be  supplemented,  of  course,  by  private  reading  dur- 
ing student  days. 

The  standard  for  lay  missionaries  should  be  kept  high, 
and  yet  it  may  fairly  be  added  that  certain  special  classes, 
such  as  railway  employees,  postal  clerks,  and  the  like,  are 
coming  to  be  accessible  to  Christian  workers,  and  useful 
work  can  be  done  among  them  by  laymen  who  have  not  had 
the  full  preparation  here  advocated,  provided  these  workers 
have  had  a vital  experience  of  what  the  Christian  life  is  and 


29 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 

have  a good  understanding  of  the  Bible  and  the  truths  of 
Christianity. 

In  the  past  too  often  little  attention  has  been  paid  to  the 
preparation  of  the  wives  of  missionaries.  In  the  missions  of 
some  nations  the  wives  are  little  more  than  wives  and  moth- 
ers and  engage  in  little  missionary  work.  In  American  mis- 
sions, however,  the  wives  are  as  truly  missionaries  as  their 
husbands  and  the  single  women,  and  hence  require  prepara- 
tion. Where  possible,  it  is  wise  for  such  missionaries  to 
have  the  same  training  as  other  lay  workers.  They  should 
at  least  have  a good  grasp  upon  the  Bible  and  Christian 
truth. 

Because  of  the  prominence  in  Japan  to-day  of  questions 
concerning  the  rights  and  status  of  women,  all  women  mis- 
sionaries should  have  special  training  on  the  place  of  woman 
in  the  development  of  the  race,  as  given  in  the  science  of 
anthropology,  and  should  understand  how  to  meet  most 
wisely  the  situations  created  by  the  agitations  of  the  women 
of  Japan  for  the  suffrage  and  other  privileges.  Especially 
they  should  be  trained  to  understand  women  and  their  am- 
bitions as  well  as  their  oppressions.  The  betterment  of  a 
nation  is  so  largely  conditioned  upon  the  betterment  of  the 
industrial  life  and  especially  of  woman’s  attitude  to  the  in- 
dustries that  home  duties  thrust  upon  her  that  training  to 
meet  this  problem  in  a helpful  manner  should,  if  possible, 
be  secured.  This  would  mean  a study  of  the  industrial 
problem  of  modern  society  as  it  affects  woman  and  the  home. 

Women  missionaries  should  also,  when  possible,  have  a 
practical  knowledge  of  housekeeping,  plain  cooking,  and 
plain  sewing.  It  will  greatly  help  the  efficiency  of  their  work, 
if,  when  keeping  house  in  the  interior,  the  domestic  wheels 
run  smoothly,  and  the  home  is  neat  and  clean.  This  applies 
especially  to  the  wives.  They  should  be  able  to  assist  the 
Japanese  wives,  who  are  now  facing  delicate  problems  of 
readjustment  and  who  can  be  greatly  helped  by  Christian 

30 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


wives  and  mothers,  with  a knowledge  of  what  the  Christian 
home  should  be  and  the  part  which  women  can  properly  take 
in  the  life  of  a nation. 

E.  Relative  Importance.  Should  this  recital  of  re- 
quirements discourage  any  one?  No,  it  should  serve  as  a 
challenge  to  make  the  best  possible  preparation  for  one  of 
the  most  difficult  tasks  before  the  Church  of  to-day.  It  is 
no  easy  work  to  which  the  missionary  for  Japan  is  called. 
Yet  it  is  fair  to  ask  the  question  as  to  which  elements  of  the 
preparation  indicated  are  most  important,  and  which  can  be 
omitted  with  least  loss,  if  need  be.  The  committee  would 
reply  that  two  things  are  absolutely  essential.  The  first  is 
the  possession  of  a living  Christian  experience,  which  im- 
presses all  one  meets  with  the  reality  of  the  spiritual  life. 
Habits  of  prayer  and  of  constant  communion  with  the  Father 
are  the  absolute  essentials  for  real  missionary  usefulness. 
The  second  is  an  adequate  intellectual  grasp  of  Christianity, 
as  set  forth  in  the  Bible  and  in  the  thought  of  Christians 
through  the  centuries;  in  other  words,  the  Bible  and  Chris- 
tian doctrine.  One  who  knows  what  Christianity  is  needs 
next  to  understand  how  to  apply  it.  Ele  should  know  how 
to  apply  it  in  work  with  individuals,  which  means  training  in 
Christian  work  under  supervision;  how  to  teach  it  to  chil- 
dren, youth,  and  adults,  which  means  some  knowledge  of 
religious  education  and  psychology ; how  to  apply  it  to  social 
problems,  which  means  an  understanding  of  these  problems 
as  well  as  of  the  social  teachings  of  the  gospel.  Closely  fol- 
lowing after  these  subjects  would  come  the  study  of  philos- 
ophy, of  the  history  of  religion,  and  of  comparative  religion. 
Preparation  for  an  understanding  of  the  country  and  of  the 
problems  of  missions  would  perhaps  come  last,  not  that  these 
subjects  are  not  important — for  they  are  becoming  increas- 
ingly so — but  because  they  may  more  easily  be  studied  out 
of  books  by  the  missionary  candidate,  who  is  using  his  read- 
ing to  increase  his  efficiency.  Yet  the  candidate  should  make 


31 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


every  endeavor  to  secure  preparation  along  all  the  lines 
specified. 

One  point  should  here  be  reiterated.  We  have  been  dis- 
cussing the  preparation  which  different  classes  of  mission- 
aries require  for  efficiency  in  their  varying  tasks.  Yet  after 
all  the  work  is  one,  namely,  that  of  making  known  the 
evangel.  The  different  methods  are  justified  only  as  they 
are  fitted  to  secure  God-like-ness  in  the  character  of  individ- 
uals and  in  the  relations  of  men  to  one  another  and  to  God. 
The  evangelistic  purpose  should  actuate  every  worker,  should 
inspire  and  guide  in  every  task,  for  the  multifarious  work  of 
modern  missions  is  all  one,  and  it  attains  this  unity  through 
the  one  common  purpose  of  making  Jesus  Christ  the  supreme 
power  and  the  model  in  the  lives  of  individuals  and  of  na- 
tions. No  one  who  does  not  believe  this  from  the  bottom  of 
his  heart  can  be  an  efficient  missionary  in  Japan  or  in  any 
other  mission  field. 

Preparation  in  Japan.  When  the  new  missionary  has 
landed  in  Japan,  his  preparation  has  just  begun.  He  must 
make  up  his  mind  that  his  preparation  will  never  be  complete 
and  that  as  long  as  he  remains  in  the  work  he  must  seek  ever 
greater  efficiency.  Instead  of  specifying  subjects,  as  was 
done  under  the  last  heading,  this  committee  would  specify 
certain  tasks  which  lie  before  the  missionary. 

(1)  Learning  the  Japanese  Language. — The  Japanese 
language  is  one  of  the  difficult  languages  now  in  use.  There 
are  two  colloquials,  the  ordinary  and  the  polite,  the  written 
language,  which  differs  widely  from  the  colloquial,  and,  as 
if  it  were  not  enough,  two  or  three  thousand  Chinese  ideo- 
graphs to  be  learned.  All  the  preliminary  training  that  can 
be  secured  at  home  is  of  value,  but  the  real  study  of  the 
language  will  be  done  in  Japan.  The  study  of  the  language 
should  be  the  first  business  during  the  early  years  of  service. 
The  missionary  should  not  be  satisfied  with  a working  knowl- 
edge of  Japanese,  but  seek  to  come  as  near  as  possible  to  mas- 

32 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


taring  it,  and  using  it  like  a Japanese.  During  the  study 
period  he  should  use  what  he  has  as  much  as  he  can.  The 
danger  in  language  schools  is  that  the  students  do  not  use 
the  language  except  when  they  are  studying  it.  They  should 
practice  what  they  learn  in  natural  conversation,  in  calls  in 
homes,  and  in  giving  simple  Bible  lessons.  It  is  suggested 
that  the  new  missionary  should  arrange  for  daily  practice  in 
speaking  Japanese  outside  of  the  language  school  and  employ 
a person  to  talk  and  correct  his  mistakes.  The  ability  to 
read  Japanese  newspapers  and  magazines  is  a valuable 
asset,  yes,  a necessity,  for  all  classes  of  missionaries.  The 
Tokyo  Conference  of  Japanese  Leaders,  held  by  Dr.  Mott 
in  April,  1913,  declared  that  ability  to  read  and  under- 
stand such  publications  should  be  the  standard,  especially  for 
missionaries  engaged  in  directing  evangelistic  work.  Even 
those  who  deal  with  students  who  understand  English  find 
it  wise  to  use  the  language  of  the  heart  and  the  home  when 
giving  instruction  in  the  Bible  or  when  seeking  to  arouse 
and  satisfy  their  ethical  and  religious  needs.  No  missionary 
should  shirk  his  responsibility  at  this  point. 

In  connection  with  the  language  work  there  can  be  some 
instruction  in  Japanese  history,  religions,  customs  and  eti- 
quette, and  in  missionary  methods,  but  too  great  emphasis 
placed  upon  such  lectures  or  studies  will  interfere  with  the 
mastery  of  the  language. 

The  missionary  should  never  stop  studying  the  language. 
Many  a missionary  has  sinned  grievously  at  this  point. 
When  examinations  were  past,  study  ceased.  This  is  really 
a great  crime  against  missionary  efficiency  and  should  be  re- 
garded as  such.  Nothing  short  of  mastery  should  be  the 
ideal;  and  it  is  a marvel  what  patient  persistence  will  do 
even  for  one  who  is  not  a born  linguist.  Each  missionary 
should  resolve  to  know  the  language  better  each  succeeding 
year,  no  matter  how  long  he  remains  in  the  country. 

(2)  Studying  Japan  and  the  People. — The  history  of 


33 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


Japan,  its  religions,  its  social  conventions  and  its  etiquette 
are  subjects  worthy  of  most  careful  study  by  the  missionary. 
He  should  learn  how  to  work  with  the  Japanese  in  fullest 
sympathy  and  co-operation. 

The  Tokyo  Conference  of  Japanese  leaders  recommended 
a plan  which  is  unique  and  suggestive,  but  which  has  never, 
so  far  as  the  committee  is  aware,  been  tested  in  Japan  or 
any  other  mission  field  as  to  its  practical  value,  namely,  that 
“every  new  missionary,  as  far  as  practicable,  should  work 
for  the  first  year  or  two  under  the  direction  of  some  experi- 
enced Japanese  pastor,  and  so  get  acquainted  with  Japanese 
church  members  and  become  familiar  with  their  manners, 
customs  and  habits  of  thinking,  as  well  as  study  the  lan- 
guage.” The  Japan  National  Conference,  composed  of  both 
Japanese  and  missionaries,  did  not  adopt  this  recommenda- 
tion, but  instead  declared  “new  missionaries  as  early  as  pos- 
sible should  be  closely  associated  with  experienced  Japanese 
workers,  thus  acquiring  familiarity  with  the  people,  their 
customs  and  their  habits  of  thought.”  One  of  the  best  things 
for  a young  missionary  is  to  become  intimately  acquainted 
with  a Japanese  leader,  and,  if  possible,  be  associated  with 
him  in  work  in  some  way.  This  plan  is  working  well  with 
some  young  missionaries. 

The  missionary  should  seek  to  understand  Japan,  its  his- 
tory, its  genius,  its  ideals,  and  its  ambitions.  He  should 
enter  into  the  thought  life  of  the  people  as  it  expresses  itself 
in  literature,  institutions  and  customs.  This  can  be  done 
through  working  with  the  people  and  by  the  reading  and 
study  of  the  best  authorities  on  Japan. 

The  missionary  must  always  be  on  his  guard  against  per- 
mitting himself  to  get  into  a critical  attitude  towards  the 
Japanese.  In  some  quarters  there  has  been  a tendency  for 
missionaries  to  make  much  of  what  appear  to  them  the  foi- 
bles, peculiarities  and  weaknesses  of  the  Japanese.  Much  of 
this  criticism  may  be  thoughtless  or  even  humorous,  but  this 


34 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


does  not  make  it  less  dangerous.  The  Japanese  might 
equally  well  dwell  upon  the  idiosyncrasies  and  follies  of  the 
foreigners  residing  in  Japan,  not  excluding  the  missionaries 
themselves.  If  this  attitude  becomes  chronic  with  the  mis- 
sionary, it  destroys  his  usefulness.  Every  nation  has  its 
peculiarities  and  weaknesses  as  well  as  its  admirable  char- 
acteristics, and  one  need  not  be  blind  to  the  former,  but  the 
successful  missionary  will  not  permit  himself  to  let  these  shut 
out  from  his  vision  the  latter.  He  must  be  a real  lover  of 
Japan  and  its  people,  and  this  can  properly  be  the  case  only 
as  he  truly  understands  and  appreciates  them.  To  do  this 
is  one  of  the  primary  duties  of  the  missionary. 

(3)  Making  Oneself  a Specialist  in  some  Subject  con- 
cerning Japan. — In  the  early  days  of  the  Syrian  mission  each 
new  missionary  in  connection  with  his  study  of  Arabic  was 
assigned  some  topic  to  work  up.  The  result  of  this  policy 
was  the  production  of  authoritative  works  such  as  Thomson’s 
“The  Land  and  the  Book,”  Post’s  “The  Botany  of  the  Holy 
Land,”  and  Van  Dyck’s  work  on  “Astronomy.”  Such  a policy 
would  be  of  value  to  the  missionary  personally  and  to  the 
work  in  which  he  is  engaged.  One  missionary  in  Japan  has 
made  a specialty  of  certain  phases  of  Buddhism.  Another 
is  an  authority  on  tuberculosis  in  Japan,  and  this  adds  to  his 
prestige.  A missionary  in  China  made  himself  an  authority 
on  the  Chinese  merchant  guild,  another  on  Chinese  weights 
and  measures.  Among  possible  topics  for  Japan  may  be 
mentioned : 

Buddhism,  history  of  some  sect  or  sects. 

Buddhism,  relation  to  the  state. 

Buddhism,  its  missionary  methods,  past  and  present. 

Shintoism,  its  present  significance. 

Japanese  history. 

International  relations  of  Japan. 

Japanese  economics. 

Japanese  education. 

Factory  legislation  in  Japan. 

The  condition  of  working  girls. 

Japanese  philanthropy. 


35 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


Present  day  religious  thought  of  Japan. 

Japanese  feudalism  and  its  effects. 

Present  social  organization  in  Japan. 

Rural  conditions. 

Conditions  in  some  occupations,  e.g.,  jinrikisha  coolies,  farm  hands,  mer- 
cantile apprentices. 

These  topics  are  given  merely  as  illustrations  of  what  lines 
of  study  are  open  to  the  missionary.  Some  of  them  have 
been  studied  with  great  thoroughness  by  missionaries  and 
other  investigators,  and  the  new  missionary  would  hardly 
be  able  to  do  much  more  than  become  familiar  with  the 
results  of  their  researches  and  try  to  carry  them  perhaps 
somewhat  further.  It  is  not  necessary,  however,  that  the 
specialty  should  concern  Japan.  Almost  any  specialty  will 
be  helpful,  though,  of  course,  some  would  be  more  valuable 
to  the  missionary  than  others.  Such  study  will  do  at  least 
three  things:  it  will  help  the  missionary  to  keep  his  intel- 
lectual life  on  the  proper  level;  it  will  commend  him  to  the 
Japanese  and  thus  increase  his  efficiency;  it  will,  if  the  sub- 
ject has  not  been  fully  covered,  make  a real  contribution  to 
scholarship.  In  all  these  ways  it  will  make  him  a more  useful 
missionary.  Even  if  a missionary  is  not  naturally  brilliant 
or  quick,  he  can  yet  go  on  to  high  attainment  by  willingness 
to  forego  distractions,  and  by  quiet,  confident  persistency; 
and  the  results  will  be  well  worth  the  effort.  Needless  to 
say,  the  missionary  should  never  permit  this  avocation  to 
become  his  vocation  and  take  precedence  over  his  regular 
missionary  work.  In  some  few  cases  this  has  been  a real 
danger. 

(4)  Maintaining  Habits  of  Study. — This  was  implied 
under  the  last  heading.  The  missionary  should  follow 
closely  as  possible  the  development  of  thought  in  some  one 
or  two  lines  in  the  west  and  also  in  Japan.  He  should  keep 
in  touch  also  with  the  movements  in  Japan,  political,  indus- 
trial, social,  ethical,  religious.  He  should  read  books  and 
magazines  dealing  with  Japan. 

36 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


IV.  Preparation  During  Furloughs 

To  the  missionary  who  finds  by  experience  that  his  prep- 
aration was  inadequate,  the  furlough  offers  an  opportunity 
for  further  preparation.  The  Boards  are  more  and  more 
permitting  or  even  assisting  missionaries  to  spend  at  least 
part  of  their  furloughs  in  study.  Preparation  thus  secured 
has  this  advantage.  The  missionary  has  learned  during  his 
years  in  Japan  what  he  needs  and  is  therefore  better  able  to 
appreciate  the  significance  and  value  of  what  is  offered.  Even 
when  a missionary  cannot  spend  all  his  furlough  in  study,  a 
few  months  at  some  university,  seminary  or  other  high- 
grade  training  institution  have  sent  the  missionary  back  to 
Japan  with  new  zest  and  increased  efficiency.  The  furlough 
also  affords  the  hard-worked  missionary  a chance  for  the 
reading  which  the  busy  years  in  Japan  did  not  give. 

Study  during  furloughs  will  save  the  missionary  from  two 
inevitable  dangers  which  beset  him.  ( 1 ) Because  of  his  neces- 
sarily isolated  life,  he  almost  inevitably  gets  behind  the  times, 
or  fails  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  changes  in  the  thoughts 
of  scholars  in  the  departments  with  which  he  was  familiar 
in  his  student  days.  If  he  spends  all  his  furloughs  speaking 
on  Japan,  he  cannot  discover  this  fact.  The  effects  of  this 
isolation  do  not  show  themselves  in  a single  decade;  but  after 
two  or  three  decades  the  Japanese  who  meet  the  missionary 
discover  that  he  has  not  progressed  in  his  thinking  since  he 
first  came  to  the  country.  So  instead  of  his  influence  increas- 
ing with  every  decade,  as  it  should  do,  it  begins  to  wane. 
Many  Japanese  comment  on  this  fact.  This  danger  can  be 
avoided  if  the  missionary  will  go  to  school  again  during  his 
furloughs.  (2)  The  second  danger  is  that  of  dogmatism. 
The  missionary  lives  alone  much  of  the  time ; he  is,  or  should 
be,  constantly  in  the  position  of  a teacher  or  of  a leader  to 
whom  those  about  him  look  up.  The  result  is  that  it  is  diffi- 
cult for  him  to  avoid  becoming  dogmatic.  To  counteract 
this  tendency,  he  needs  to  become  once  more  a learner,  and 

37 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


for  a period  to  place  himself  under  the  guidance  of  others, 
who  are  masters  in  their  special  departments  of  thought  or 
activity. 

Any  of  the  elements  of  preparation  that  may  be  secured 
at  home  may  be  obtained  during  furloughs.  The  specialist 
will  naturally  seek  to  learn  the  latest  word  in  his  own  depart- 
ment. The  teacher  will  wish  courses  in  his  own  subjects. 
The  social  worker  will  desire  to  learn  the  results  of  the  latest 
researches  and  efforts  at  social  amelioration. 

The  ordained  missionary  naturally  turns  to  the  more  re- 
cent results  of  Biblical  studies  and  Christian  thought.  For 
him  the  emphasis  would  ordinarily  be  put  at  this  point,  un- 
less his  real  work  is  along  other  lines  or  there  have  been 
unusual  gaps  in  his  previous  training.  It  is  most  important 
that  missionaries,  who  are  unable,  while  on  the  field,  to  follow 
the  developments  within  the  Biblical  and  theological  realms, 
should  come  into  touch  with  them  while  at  home.  This  does 
not  mean  that  they  must  accept  the  newer  views,  but  that 
they  should  know  what  they  are  and  understand  the  reasons 
which  lie  back  of  them.  In  many  mission  fields  there  is 
friction  between  the  older  and  the  younger  workers  because 
neither  side  can  understand  the  other’s  viewpoint.  Harmony 
and  efficiency  will  be  promoted  if  the  ordained  missionaries 
thus  bring  their  knowledge  up  to  date,  just  as  the  physician 
and  educator  feel  bound  to  do. 

Besides  this  modernizing  of  one’s  original  preparation, 
which  is  the  chief  function  of  study  during  furloughs,  the 
missionary  can  supply  the  deficiencies  of  his  previous  prepa- 
ration. Whole  new  fields  of  knowledge  may  have  been  de- 
veloped meantime.  Such  subjects  as  the  following  have 
proved  of  value  to  missionaries: 

( 1 ) Bible  and  Theology. — The  lay  worker  who  has  found 
his  g’rasp  of  the  Bible  and  his  comprehension  of  Christian 
truth  inadequate  has  now  a chance  to  learn  new  methods  of 
studying  and  teaching  the  Bible,  and  to  become  familiar  with 

38 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


the  best  of  recent  developments  in  Christian  thought.  He 
may  also  learn  the  significance  of  the  newer  views,  relating 
to  the  Bible  and  to  Christian  doctrine,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
assist  those  in  Japan  who  wish  to  be  up  to  date  in  reaching 
sound  conclusions.  Some  of  the  serious  breaks  in  the  past,  in 
the  relations  between  the  missionaries  and  the  Japanese,  were 
due  to  inability  or  unwillingness  to  do  just  this.  This  point 
applies  equally  to  the  lay  and  to  the  ordained  missionary,  as 
explained  above. 

(2)  Philosophy. — IMissionaries  who  have  never  faced  in 
a scholarly  way  the  problems  raised  by  the  new  psychology, 
or  those  centering  in  the  relations  of  science  and  religion,  or 
those  raised  by  the  new  materialistic  or  idealistic  philosophy 
may  wisely  take  courses  to  assist  them  at  this  point.  Work 
in  the  history  and  philosophy  of  religion  may  also  be  taken 
wisely  by  some. 

(3)  Religious  Education. — Some  of  the  most  serious 
problems  in  Japan  center  in  the  realm  of  religious  education. 
How  can  the  truths  of  Christianity  be  presented  most  efifec- 
tively  to  the  Japanese  children,  youth,  and  adults?  What 
are  the  best  avenues  of  approach  to  the  heart  of  the  Japanese 
with  religious  truth  ? How  can  the  Sunday  schools  and  the 
Bible  classes,  to  which  so  many  students  resort,  be  made 
more  productive  of  good?  The  answers  to  these  either  lie 
within  the  realm  of  the  new  religious  education  or  must  be 
secured  through  investigations  in  Japan  made  by  mission- 
aries trained  in  the  principles  and  technique  of  this  depart- 
ment. Some  missionaries  have  found  such  courses  as  this  of 
great  value. 

(4)  Social  Sciences,  theoretical  and  applied. — In  these 
days  the  missionaries  in  Japan  are  face  to  face  with  all  the 
problems  of  a society  in  process  of  reconstruction.  Some  of 
these  were  faced  by  England  a century  and  more  ago.  Others 
are  those  which  are  now  pressing  for  solution  in  America. 
He  needs  therefore  to  understand  historically  and  theoret- 


39 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


ically  the  significance  of  these  movements,  to  become  familiar 
with  what  the  lamented  Professor  C.  R.  Henderson  of  Chi- 
cago called  the  social  programs  of  the  west,  and  also  to  know 
what  Christianity  has  to  offer  by  way  of  a social  gospel. 
Courses  in  economic  history,  in  sociology,  in  philanthropy, 
including  such  subjects  as  sanitation,  housing,  pauperism, 
and  penology,  and  in  the  social  teachings  of  Jesus,  may  prove 
of  real  service.  Socialism  and  the  other  suggested  solutions 
for  pressing  industrial  and  social  problems  may  wisely  be 
looked  into  by  some  missionaries. 

(5)  Japanese  Subjects. — Ordinarily  the  missionary  can- 
not find  time,  strength,  or  guidance  for  going  very  far  in  his 
studies  in  Japanese  history,  Japanese  religion,  and  Japanese 
literature.  The  opportunities  in  America  for  advanced 
scholarly  work  along  such  lines  as  these  are  somewhat  rare, 
but  the  universities  and  other  educational  institutions  are 
beginning  to  offer  courses  of  this  type  and  these  facilities 
will  doubtless  increase  from  year  to  year. 

(6)  The  Science  of  Missions. — What  has  been  said  re- 
garding Japanese  subjects  holds  true  with  some  modifications 
of  the  science  of  missions.  This  is  a subject  which  is  in  proc- 
ess of  becoming  a science.  Specialists  in  this  department  are 
increasing  in  number  and  the  institutions  where  a broader 
view  can  be  obtained  of  the  entire  program  of  missions  can 
be  found  here  and  there. 

(7)  Phonetics  and  Linguistics. — These  subjects  have 
been  studied  with  good  results  by  a few  missionaries  on  fur- 
lough, who  have  thus  discovered  where  they  were  deficient  in 
their  use  of  Japanese  and  have  learned  how  they  may  assist 
new  missionaries  in  their  work  on  the  language. 

Conclusion 

The  committee  would  not  wish  the  preceding  statements  to 
discourage  any  one  who  contemplates  work  in  Japan.  Many 
missionaries  have  done  most  effective  work  without  much  of 


40 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


the  preparation  recommended.  It  would  be  a mistake  to 
delay  arrival  on  the  field  unduly  in  order  to  carry  the  home 
preparation  to  an  extreme.  By  a proper  use  of  the  elective 
system,  and  by  carefully  prepared  courses  of  private  reading, 
much  can  be  done  to  secure  sufficient  preparation  during  the 
usual  years  of  study.  If  in  addition  arrangements  can  be 
made  for  a year  of  graduate  work — or  even  for  two  years 
on  the  part  of  one  without  theological  or  Biblical  training — 
this  will  lay  the  foundations  for  the  highest  efficiency,  which 
can  be  built  upon  during  the  years  of  work  and  the  furlough 
periods. 

While  Japan  needs  thoroughly  prepared  missionaries,  she 
is  calling  for  workers,  not  for  those  who  are  merely  pre- 
parers or  studiers.  Study  and  preparation  are  not  ends  in 
themselves  but  only  means  to  an  end,  and  they  become  a 
curse  unless  they  are  kept  in  their  proper  place.  The  course 
of  preparation  outlined  in  this  report  is  urged  upon  the  at- 
tention of  missionaries  for  Japan,  both  men  and  women,  be- 
cause it  is  believed  that  it  will  increase  their  efficiency  and 
enable  them  both  to  project  definite  undertakings  for  the 
Christianization  of  Japan  and  to  carry  these  through  to  suc- 
cess. 

In  conclusion,  the  committee  would  emphasize  with  all 
possible  force  its  conviction  that  what  is  needed  more  than 
the  completion  of  any  prescribed  course  of  study  is  a mis- 
sionary who  has  the  capacity  for  growth,  a willingness  and 
determination  not  to  rest  satisfied  with  any  present  attain- 
ments, a spirit  of  service  and  of  adaptiveness  which  will  lead 
to  glad  conformity  to  the  conditions  of  work  in  Japan,  and 
above  all  a vital  experience  of  the  life  which  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God,  and  which  draws  upon  these  inexhaustible 
sources  for  the  power  of  Christian  achievement. 


41 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


V.  Select  Bibliography  on  Japan 

(Prepared  by  Professor  Edmund  D.  Soper  of  Drew  Theological  Seminary, 
working  in  conjunction  with  correspondents  in  Japan.) 

The  following  list  is  divided  into  two  main  divisions,  one 
consisting  of  books  which  are  recommended  to  missionary 
candidates  to  be  read  if  possible  before  reaching  Japan,  the 
other  of  books  recommended  to  missionaries  to  be  read  on 
the  field  and  on  furlough. 

I.  For  Missionary  Candidates 

1.  Cary,  Otis.  Japan  and  Its  Regeneration,  or 

2.  De  Forest,  J.  H.  Sunrise  in  the  Sunrise  Kingdom,  or 

3.  Nitobe,  I.  The  Japanese  Nation. 

For  short  general  sketch  of  all  that  concerns  the  missionary. 

4.  Murray,  David.  Japan,  “Story  of  the  Nation”  series,  or 

5.  Longford,  J.  H.  The  Story  of  Old  Japan,  and  The  Evolution 
of  New  Japan,  or 

6.  Brinkley,  F.  A History  of  the  Japanese  People. 

Any  of  these  volumes  will  provide  the  necessary  historical  back- 
ground. Murray’s  volume  is  the  shortest  and  Brinkley’s  the  longest 
of  the  three. 

7.  Bacon,  Alice  M.  Japanese  Girls  and  Women,  or 

8.  Burton,  Margaret.  Education  of  Women  in  Japan. 

9.  Knox,  G.  W.  Japanese  Life  in  Town  and  Country. 

10.  Redesdale,  Lord  (Mitford,  A.  B.  F.).  Tales  of  Old  Japan. 

11.  Little,  Frances  (Macauley,  Mrs.  F.  C.).  The  Lady  of  the 
Decoration. 

Volumes  which  will  shed  much  light  on  Japanese  life  and  customs, 
both  past  and  present.  Were  one  called  on  to  make  a selection  it  would 
be  made  in  favor  of  Mitford’s  Tales  of  Old  Japan. 

12.  Gulick,  S.  L.  The  American  Japanese  Problem,  or 

13.  Kawakami,  K.  K.  Asia  at  the  Door  and  Japanese- American 
Relations. 

Will  be  an  introduction  to  the  present  problems  waiting  to  be  solved 
between  Japan  and  our  country. 

14.  Griffis,  W.  E.  Biographies  of  Guido  F.  Verbeek,  S.  R.  Brown, 
James  C.  Hepburn,  and  Townsend  Harris. 

15.  Hardy,  A.  The  Life  and  Letters  of  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima,  or 

16.  Davis,  J.  D.  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima. 

17.  Uchimura,  Kanzo.  How  I Became  a Christian. 

18.  Gordon,  M.  L.  An  American  Missionary  in  Japan. 


42 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


19.  De  Forest,  C.  B.  The  Evolution  of  a Missionary  (J.  H.  De 
Forest). 

20.  Armstrong,  R.  C.  Just  Before  the  Dawn. 

21.  Dening,  W.  The  Life  of  Toyotomi  Hideyoshi. 

22.  Uchimura,  Kanzo.  Representative  Men  of  Japan. 

A short  list  of  biographies,  missionary  and  general,  suggestive  of  % 
type  of  reading  of  great  value  to  the  missionary  candidate,  as  well  as 
the  missionary  himself. 

23.  Chamberlain,  B.  H.  Things  Japanese. 

24.  Clement,  E.  W.  A Handbook  of  Modern  Japan. 

In  each  case  secure  the  latest  edition.  Both  are  important  as  refer- 
ence books  on  all  that  pertains  to  Japan,  Things  Japanese  in  particular . 
being  widely  known  and  quoted. 

25.  Clement,  E.  W.  Christianity  in  Modern  Japan. 

A volume  to  be  read  and  used  as  a book  of  reference  on  the  history 
of  missions  in  Japan. 

26.  Article  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,  11th  Edit., 

is  an  important  contribution,  produced  for  the  most  part  by  Capt  F. 
Brinkley,  the  late  editor  of  The  Japan  Mail. 

27.  Harada,  T.  The  Faith  of  Japan. 

28.  Knox,  G.  W.  The  Development  of  Religion  in  Japan. 

Volumes  suggested  for  those  who  would  begin  the  serious  study  of 
Japanese  religions  before  reaching  the  country.  The  word  “serious” 
is  used  advisedly,  as  the  study  of  Japanese  religion  is  no  child's  play — 
it  is  the  study  of  a life-time  and  makes  large  demands  on  the  student 

II.  For  Missionaries 

The  following  list  must  be  considered  as  supplementing  the 
above,  many  volumes  of  which  will  be  life-long  friends  of  the 
missionary. 

29.  Terry,  T.  P.  The  Japanese  Empire,  or 

30.  Murray’s  Hand-Book  of  Japan.  By  B.  H.  Chamberlain  and 
W.  B.  Mason,  or 

31.  Imperial  Japanese  Government  Railway’s  Official  Guide-Book 
to  Eastern  Asia,  Vols.  II.  and  III. 

At  least  one  of  these  guide-books  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every 
foreign  resident  in  Japan. 

32.  The  Christian  Movement  in  Japan. 

33.  The  Japan  Year-Book. 

Two  annual  publications  of  great  value  for  those  who  would  have 
the  latest  information.  Of  the  two  the  Christian  Movement  will  be  of 
greater  direct  benefit  to  the  missionary. 

34.  Okuma,  Count  (edit.).  Fifty  Years  of  New  Japan.  Two  vols. 

A veritable  encyclopaedia,  though  not  arranged  alphabetically. 


43 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


35.  Aston,  W.  G.  Japanese  Literature. 

Generally  recognized  as  an  authoritative  volume. 

36.  Gulick,  S.  L.  Evolution  of  the  Japanese. 

Indispensable  to  an  understanding  of  the  Japanese  character. 

37.  Reinsch,  P.  S.  Intellectual  and  Political  Currents  in  the  Far 
East. 

38.  Porter,  R.  P.  The  Full  Recognition  of  Japan. 

39.  Nitobe,  I.  Bushido. 

40.  Hearn,  Lafcadio.  Japan:  an  Interpretation;  Kokoro,  etc. 

The  last  two  volumes  are  interpretations  of  Japan  and  Japanese  life 
which  in  the  opinion  of  many  need  correction  from  other  sources.  They 
are  suggested  because  they  have  been  so  widely  read  and  quoted  and 
because  the  missionary  should  understand  this  view-point. 

41.  Kikuchi,  Baron  D.  Japanese  Education. 

42.  Lombard,  F.  A.  Pre-Meiji  Education  in  Japan. 

43.  Gubbins,  J.  H.  The  Civil  Code  of  Japan. 

44.  Hozumi,  N.  Ancestor  Worship  and  Japanese  Law. 

45.  lyenaga,  T.  Constitutional  Development  of  Japan. 

Special  studies  in  phases  of  Japanese  development  which  a missionary 
can  ill  afford  to  neglect. 

46.  Dillon,  E.  Arts  of  Japan. 

47.  Huish,  M.  B.  Japan  and  Its  Art. 

48.  Reni,  J.  J.  Japan,  and  a more  specialized  volume,  The  Indus- 
tries of  Japan. 

The  first  volume  is  a small  hand-book;  the  volumes  by  Reni  were 
written  some  years  ago,  but  are  still  of  value. 

49.  Ritter,  H.  History  of  Protestant  Missions. 

50.  Cary,  Otis.  History  of  Christianity  in  Japan,  Two  vols. 

51.  Report  of  the  Tokyo  Missionary  Conference,  1900. 

Authoritative  volumes  on  the  history  of  missions  in  Japan.  Cary’s 
first  volume  is  devoted  to  the  history  of  the  Roman  Catholic  mission 
of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries. 

52.  Hildreth,  Richard.  Japan  as  it  Was  and  Is  (edit,  by  E.  W. 
Clement). 

53.  Kaempfer,  E.  History  of  Japan.  An  old  work  republished. 

54.  Griffis,  W.  E.  The  Mikado’s  Empire.  Two  vols. 

Criticized  harshly  by  some,  but  cannot  be  discarded. 

55.  Murdock,  James.  History  of  Japan.  Two  vols.  published,  the 
third  yet  to  appear. 

Volumes  suggested  for  a more  detailed  study  of  Japanese  history 
than  would  be  possible  with  the  books  suggested  for  candidates — Nos. 
4,  5,  and  6 in  this  bibliography.  The  work  of  Murdock  especially  is 
proving  to  be  the  most  thoroughgoing  history  that  has  appeared  in  a 
foreign  tongue. 


44 


PREPARATION  FOR  JAPAN 


56.  Lloyd,  Arthur.  The  Creed  of  Half  Japan;  also  other  vols., 
Shinran  and  His  Work,  Wheat  Among  the  Tares,  etc.,  and 
his  article  in  Asiatic  Society  Transactions  on  the  Development 
of  Japanese  Buddhism. 

57.  Suzuki,  T.  D.  Outlines  of  Mahayana  Buddhism,  and  Rise  of 
Faith. 

58.  Anezaki  and  Wainright.  Aspects  of  Japan. 

59.  Griffis,  W.  E.  The  Religions  of  Japan. 

60.  Aston,  W.  G.  Shinto,  The  Way  of  the  Gods,  and  a small  vol- 
ume named  Shinto. 

The  above  on  the  religions  of  Japan  to  be  supplemented  by  various 
articles  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan  and  in 
Hasting’s  Encyclopaedia  of  Religion  and  Ethics. 

61.  Davids,  T.  W.  Rhys.  Buddhism  (S.  P.  C.  K.  Manual),  and 
Buddhism:  Its  History  and  Literature  (American  Lectures). 

62.  Hackmann,  H.  Buddhism  as  a Religion. 

63.  Beal,  S.  Buddhism  in  China,  and  Catena  of  Buddhist  Scrip- 
tures from  the  Chinese. 

64.  Douglas,  R.  K.  Confucianism  and  Taoism. 

65.  de  Groot,  J.  J.  M.  The  Religion  of  the  Chinese. 

The  volumes  in  this  group  are  but  a suggestion  of  many  for  furnish- 
ing background  for  the  study  of  Japanese  religions. 

In  addition  to  all  of  the  above  mention  should  be  made  of  the 
Japan  Evangelist,  an  interdenominational  monthly  journal  de- 
voted to  the  interests  of  missionary  work  in  Japan. 


45 


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PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE 
BOARD  OF  MISSIONARY  PREPARATION 


The  Second  Annual  Report  (1912) 

Containing  the  reports  on  “Fundamental  Qualifications  for  Missionary 
Work”  and  on  the  “Facilities  for  Training  Missionary  Candidates.” 

Paper,  price  25  cents,  postpaid. 

The  Third  Annual  Report  (1913) 

Rich  in  suggestions  concerning  the  special  training  which  evangelistic, 
educational,  medical,  and  women  missionaries  should  seek.  It  also  contains 
a report  on  the  use  of  the  missionary  furlough  and  a list  of  the  institutions 
which  offer  special  courses  for  candidates  along  these  lines  and  suggests 
valuable  courses  of  reading. 

Paper,  price  25  cents,  postpaid. 

The  Fourth  Annual  Report  (1914) 

Containing  reports  on  preparation  for  different  fields,  such  as  China, 
Japan,  India,  Latin-America,  the  Near  East  and  Pagan  Africa.  It  also  in- 
cludes full  reports  of  the  two  important  Conferences  on  Preparation  of 
Ordained  Missionaries  and  Administrative  Problems. 

Paper,  price  50  cents,  postpaid. 

The  Fifth  Annual  Report  (1915) 

Containing  reports  of  two  important  Conferences  on  Preparation  of 
Women  for  Foreign  Service  and  Preparation  of  Medical  Missionaries,  be- 
sides other  reports. 

Paper,  price  25  cents,  postpaid. 

CONFERENCE  REPORTS. 

Report  of  the  Conference  on  the  Preparation  of  Ordained  Missionaries,  held 
December,  1914,  in  New  York.  Paper  covered,  price  10  cents. 
Report  of  the  Conference  on  the  Preparation  of  Women  for  Foreign  Service, 
held  December,  1915,  in  New  York.  Paper  covered,  price  10  cents. 
Report  of  the  Conference  on  the  Preparation  of  Medical  Missionaries,  held 
April,  1916,  in  New  York.  Paper  covered,  price  10  cents. 

REPRINTS  OF  SPECIAL  REPORTS. 

How  Shall  the  Missionary  Spend  His  Furlough?  Price  5 cents. 

The  Preparation  of  Ordained  Missionaries.  Price  10  cents. 

The  Preparation  of  Educational  Missionaries.  Price  10  cents. 

The  Preparation  of  Medical  Missionaries.  Price  10  cents. 

The  Preparation  of  Women  for  Foreign  Service.  Price  10  cents. 

The  Preparation  of  Missionaries  Appointed  to  China.  Price  10  cents. 

The  Preparation  of  Missionaries  Appointed  to  India.  Price  10  cents. 

The  Preparation  of  Missionaries  Appointed  to  Japan.  Price  10  cents. 

The  Preparation  of  Missionaries  Appointed  to  the  Near  East.  Price  10  cents. 
The  Preparation  of  Missionaries  Appointed  to  Latin-America.  Price  10  cents. 
The  Preparation  of  Missionaries  Appointed  to  Pagan  Africa.  Price  10  cents. 


